Biography

Director Evaluation And Evidence Synthesis, Global Development Network

Ashrita Saran is the Director of Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis at the Global Development Network (GDN). A public health researcher and epidemiologist , she holds a doctorate in international public health and public policy and has been leading evidence synthesis initiatives for over a decade. She is the author of more than forty peer-reviewed publications, including pioneering systematic reviews, rapid evidence assessments, and evidence and gap maps. She has held numerous leadership positions in global evidence networks, serving as the Editor of Campbell’s Climate Solutions Coordinating Group , the Capacity Building Coordination Lead for the Cochrane-Campbell Equity Methods Group , and the former Co-Chair of the Evidence Synthesis Infrastructure Collaborative’s Working Group on Safe and Responsible Use of AI. Outside these networks, Dr. Saran has collaborated extensively with major international organizations—such as the WHO, UNICEF, and FCDO—to deliver high-impact evidence products on critical topics like climate resilience, child well-being, and disability rights. At the forefront of modern methodology, she is currently leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to integrate advanced automation into review workflows, and contributed to the Responsible and Safe Use of AI in Evidence Synthesis (RAISE) guidance.