Mehdi is an Economist at the GO Lab. His work involves enhancing the reliability of impact bond evaluations by promoting robust economic evaluation methods such as cost-effectiveness and decision analysis. Prior to joining the GO Lab team, he worked with medical researchers at the Ninewells Hospital, Dundee to analyse the cost-effectiveness of an innovative methods of diagnosing prostate cancer. Other experience includes directing a research programme of an entrepreneurial company, Happening Technologies, in collaboration with the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, which familiarised him with designing research projects and building research capabilities in coalition with the public sector. He has also experience in teaching at universities of Oxford, Dundee and St Andrews, visiting fellowship at UNDP and a number of consultancy roles in the past.
Mehdi holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Dundee, a MSc in Empirical and Theoretical Economics from the Paris School of Economics, a MSc in Models and Methods of Quantitive Economics from the University of Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne, and a BSc in Economics from the University of Tehran.
M.Shiva, J.Matsu, Y.Ishibashi and M.Airoldi. (2022). Innovative financing mechanisms for levelling up social outcomes, Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and Government Outcomes Lab.
Shiva, M., & Molana, H. (2021) The Luxury of Lockdown. The European journal of development research
Shiva et al. (2021) A guide to support Value for Money (VfM) analysis for public managers. Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford
Shiva, M. (2021) Ensuring value for money in times of crisis and after. Public Finance
Shiva, M. (2021) COVID: poorest countries should have stopped short of full workplace closures – economist. The Conversation
Shiva, M. (2021) How should governments source public services during a crisis? Economics Observatory
Shiva et al. (2020) GO Lab response to British Standards Institution BS 8950 - Social value. Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford
Shiva, M. (2020) Review 2: “Medical Costs of Keeping the US Economy Open During COVID-19.” Rapid Reviews COVID-19
Shiva, M. (2020) We need a better head start for the next pandemic. CEPR’s VoxEU
Shiva, M. & Fitzgerald, C. (2020) Why can’t we all just get along? Barriers to collaboration and early thoughts on how to overcome them in public services. LSE Social Policy Blogs
Shiva, M., & Molana, H. (2018) Climate change induced inter-province migration in Iran. University of Aberdeen's discussion papers in economic and finance