How Hernando Grueso Uses Data Science to Drive Better Policy Decisions

July 13, 2026

Hernando Grueso MPA '15

From evaluating humanitarian interventions with satellite imagery to advising organizations like the World Bank, UNICEF, and the United Nations, Hernando Grueso MPA ’15 has built a career at the intersection of public policy, economics, and data science.

Today, Hernando is the Founder and Lead Data Scientist at AImpact Lab and an Associate Member of the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention. His work combines machine learning, econometrics, and high-frequency data to help governments, nonprofits, and private organizations generate evidence that leads to better policy and investment decisions. For Hernando, data science isn’t simply about building models—it’s about understanding complex social problems and using evidence to improve lives.

Q. Tell us about your current role and the work you do.

In my current role at AImpact Lab, I work at the intersection of the public and private sectors, using data science and econometrics to generate reliable evidence for policy and investment decisions.

I believe there is a huge opportunity to encourage private investors to support environmental protection and social well-being by showing, with reliable data, how these investments can also create value for businesses. For example, in a recent project, I used nightlight satellite data to assess the extent to which humanitarian interventions contributed to rebuilding local economies after a natural disaster.

Q. What inspired you to pursue a career at the intersection of public policy and data science?

I have been a data science enthusiast since before data science degrees became widely available. I think there has been a false dichotomy in the social sciences between causal inference and prediction. For a long time, prediction was not taken seriously in the policy world, but this has changed with the arrival of big and high-frequency data.

Today, data science is playing an increasing role in policy analysis and impact evaluation, especially through the application of machine learning tools to traditional causal inference methods. These new methods help us approach the real world in a more flexible way, updating our theories based on new evidence rather than forcing social reality to fit the possibilities of a lab setting.

Beyond these methodological motivations, I have also developed a specific interest in better understanding the connection between environmental protection and development economics.
I believe the boundaries between research fields are becoming increasingly fuzzy as we better grasp the complexity of social phenomena, which cannot easily be studied in isolation. For instance, topics such as climate change, poverty, and armed conflict are deeply interlinked, and I am inspired by the growing body of evidence pointing in this direction. From a government perspective, there is also a greater need to provide policy advice that takes these complex relationships into account.

Q. How did the Brooks School equip you with the toolkit you use today?

I am deeply thankful to Brooks for giving me the freedom to pursue a non-conventional career path while taking classes across diverse departments, including economics, plant science, and mathematics.

Interdisciplinarity and big thinking are skills that go beyond a narrow curriculum and are better suited to prepare professionals for a highly volatile and changing world.

I can say with certainty that while the programming languages people are learning today may help them secure jobs in the short term, learning how to think, adapt, and connect ideas across fields are the skills that will allow them to survive the AI revolution. That’s one of the greatest lessons I took from Cornell: combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of policy, institutions, and society.

Q. Was there a hands-on learning experience that had a lasting impact on your career?

I still remember my internship at the World Bank during the summer of 2014 in Washington, D.C.

It changed my life for two reasons: first, it’s where I met my wife, and second, it launched my professional journey conducting research to inform decision-making at international development organizations.

Q. What advice would you give future Brooks students who want to make a meaningful impact in data science and public policy?

Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to think differently, creatively, or outside the box.

It can be challenging because it often feels lonely, or even like going against conventional wisdom. However, these are the skills that make a difference in the long term and help us understand policy problems from a different angle.
My advice to future Brooks students is to challenge whatever feels too conventional or not fully intuitive, and to pay attention to the questions that are still not fully explored or understood. That is often where the most meaningful contributions can be made.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Hernando Grueso graduated from Cornell in 2015 with a Master of Public Administration, prior to the establishment of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. References to the Brooks School reflect the school’s current name.