PRB

We’re thrilled to welcome Apoorva Jadhav, Ph.D., as PRB’s new Senior Fellow!

Dr. Jadhav is a demographer with over 15 years of experience in global health and international development. She most recently served as the Senior Demographer and Statistician at USAID, where she provided strategic oversight for demographic surveys, analyses, and studies in USAID-supported countries around the world. Previously, she was a National Institute on Aging Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan, where she contributed to the Health and Retirement Study, with a specific focus on India. (Read her full bio here.)

In her fellowship, Dr. Jadhav will work with PRB as we explore the global shift to lower fertility—and the implications for health, well-being, and rights. We sat down with her to talk about the motivations behind her work, the importance of the demographic perspective, and her advice for aspiring demographers.

Q: How did you get into the study of demographics? What motivates you to pursue this line of work today?

A: Growing up in Mumbai, it was impossible to avoid confronting massive and rapid demographic shifts and their implications in our day-to-day lived reality. I remember, even at a young age, asking my parents about what I saw as differences in gender roles among different families around us, stark inequalities in wealth and life outcomes, the confluence of caste and religion, and so much more.

Of course, these are universal realities no matter the geographical context, but India provided me fertile ground to delve into these questions during my higher education and seek some semblance of solutions during my professional career at USAID, with the added benefit of being able to compare and adapt work in the global context. My graduate work has focused on India as the axis, with explorations on fertility, migration, and aging forming the offshoots. Is that work done? Are the questions answered? Not a chance. This is what continues to motivate me today, with a passion to use demography as the lens to understand development challenges around the world.

The future Dr. Jadhav (on her father’s shoulders), with her mother and brother, in India, 1988.

Q: What sort of work will you be doing in your fellowship? What are you hoping to learn?

A: I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with PRB’s demography superstars during this fellowship! The timing is particularly relevant, since demography is everywhere right now (honestly, when is it not a hot topic?). My work will concentrate on several key themes: providing data-driven insights to address the current discourse around low fertility, examining infertility and its implications in low and middle-income countries, and developing strategies to effectively engage policymakers on critical demographic issues in their regions. I’m especially eager to deepen my understanding of how to translate complex demographic data into actionable policy recommendations and to learn from PRB’s extensive experience in global demographic communication.

Q: What excites you about this opportunity? What do you hope to accomplish during your time with PRB?

A: I’ve admired PRB, both as an institution and for its exceptional people, for many years. What truly excites me about this fellowship is the chance to actively contribute to PRB’s mission. I aim to help identify new areas of inquiry for PRB, strengthen relationships with existing partners, and forge new collaborations. This is a critical time globally, marked by data misinformation, a growing trust deficit in science, and evolving bilateral and donor priorities. I’m eager to work with PRB on strategies to counter these challenges, enhance the accessibility and impact of demographic data, and reinforce the vital role of evidence-based research in shaping global development.

Dr. Jadhav with her USAID team in Manila, Philippines.

Q: Any advice for aspiring demographers?

A: I’m biased, but I genuinely believe that demography offers an unparalleled framework for understanding the world. While I recognize that times may seem uncertain for students pursuing doctorates or recent graduates seeking employment in demography, my advice is to persevere. The world desperately needs more demographers everywhere —in government, the private sector, journalism, foundations, you name it! Your unique perspective and analytical skills are essential for navigating complex global challenges and informing critical decisions.

Q: We like data around here, so time let’s get some more data about you! What do you enjoy outside of work? Any fun facts about yourself that you’d like to share?

A: While I’m not currently a seasoned adventurer, I am looking forward to exploring the great outdoors more once we move to Seattle this summer! Outside of work, my husband, our 8-year-old twins, and I share a deep love for food—from cooking and discussing it to, of course, eating it. We’re even embarking on a family quest in 2026: to cook the national dish of every country. We’d welcome any suggestions or hot tips!

Dr. Jadhav at the ICPD30 convening in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Editor’s note: For more on PRB fellowships, or to learn more about our work on lower fertility, please email us at communications@prb.org.