Faculty Showcase Research Contributions Addressing Wide Range of Policy Issues

The School of Public Policy held a faculty research showcase aimed at fostering dialogue and collaboration among the policy community, featuring lightning talks covering a spectrum of pressing policy issues. The event offered a glimpse into the latest advancements and insights in various policy disciplines. 

The showcase kicked off with opening remarks by Associate Dean, Research and Faculty Affairs Yueming ‘Lucy’ Qiu followed by a series of informative sessions on the research being done by SPP faculty. Qiu highlighted, “Over the past few years, our faculty have accomplished a great deal in their research, publishing well-respected journals and academic outlets, attracting coverage in mainstream media and also winning many prestigious regional awards.”

The first session, moderated by Claire Dunning, explored "Diversity and equity considerations in policymaking and evaluations." Jiehong Lou discussed income and racial disparities in household publicly available EV infrastructure accessibility in the United States. Juan Pablo Martínez Guzmán explored the role of participatory budgeting in enhancing the voice of underrepresented minorities, while Apolonia Calderon talked about the politics of giving in communities of color.

• Jiehong Lou shared that the transportation sector, primarily managed by state and local governments, emits the largest share of greenhouse gasses, necessitating rapid electric vehicle (EV) adoption and expanded EV infrastructure. Her research illustrates disparities in EV accessibility, particularly for low-income and minority communities, and highlights the importance of equitable policy measures to ensure inclusive EV adoption.
• Juan Pablo Martínez Guzmán presented his research project that explores how participatory budgeting can empower underrepresented minorities, highlighting its potential to improve social equity while addressing challenges like elite capture and inadequate representation. Through a comprehensive study of participatory budgeting systems in the US and Canada, Martínez Guzmán and his research partner Michelle Loughlin from the University of Georgia identified best practices for overcoming barriers to minority participation, emphasizing tailored recruitment, accessibility provisions and inclusive engagement strategies observed in successful cases.
• Apolonia Calderon showcased community giving in communities of color, emphasizing how public donations often fill gaps in government aid during international crises and domestic issues like the Gaza conflict. Her research explores the priorities of everyday donors, overlooked in research focusing on large foundations, by analyzing their responses to personal experiences, political attitudes and institutional challenges, exploring their policy agendas and patterns of giving.

The topic turned to "Security Policy and International Policy," a session also moderated by Dunning, with topics ranging from space weaponry to cybersecurity vulnerabilities across government networks.  Alec Worsnop examined how military cadres sustain insurgent warfare. GoTech Director Charles Harry's assessment of cybersecurity vulnerabilities underscored the importance of safeguarding digital infrastructure, while Professor Meg Brindle explored the intersection of intellectual property and trade strategies.

• Alec Worsnop presented research findings which reevaluate common perceptions of guerrilla warfare, highlighting its complexity and the role of well-trained military cadre in successful insurgency operations, illustrated by the Taliban's improved combat effectiveness despite facing increased pressure. His findings emphasize the need to rethink traditional metrics of counterinsurgency success and the challenges inherent in building capable partner forces in conflict zones.

• Charles Harry shared his research on strategic cybersecurity, highlighting the challenge of safeguarding public infrastructure and strategic assets. He discussed the Cyberspace Solarium Commission's approach to deterrence and the need for sophisticated risk assessment methods, demonstrated through efforts like allocating funds to states and localities and utilizing Python-based analysis of national cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
• Meg Brindle spoke about her research including 14 case studies which involve 14 million farmers and producers, explaining that only 2-3% of retail value reaches them, which prompted initiatives like trademark ownership to increase income. Brindle's work, including a book and workbooks, focuses on empowering low-income farmers through intellectual property strategies, with projects such as the African IP Trust and her work on behalf of the Maasai tribe, which aim to improve their economic prospects through branding and ownership.

IPL Director John Ronquillo, moderated the "Leadership and Management" session featuring discussions on service shaming in academia, the influence of social connectedness on volunteering and giving and the outcomes of American statecraft. Cullen Merritt's research on service shaming explored the importance of fostering a supportive academic environment; Nathan Dietz examined the dynamics of social connectedness and generosity; and Rob Sprinkle discussed the consequences of cynicism in statecraft.

• Cullen Merritt created the term "service shaming" to describe how academia often devalues faculty participation in service activities despite their importance to the institution's public mission. Merritt discussed the psychological burden, erosion of faculty governance and decreased public engagement that results from this, suggesting strategies like explicit recognition of service and restructuring performance evaluations to mitigate the effects of service shaming and enhance the perception of higher education's societal contribution.

• Nathan Dietz's research, funded by the Generosity Commission, explores the relationship between volunteering and giving in the context of declining philanthropic engagement. Looking at data over a 10-year period, Dietz’s research found that volunteering and giving positively influence each other, with volunteering having a stronger impact on giving. The research showed that measures of group association significantly impact volunteering and giving, illustrating the important role they play in fostering civic engagement.
• Rob Sprinkle presented his research which challenges the long-standing belief in preference theory's ability to accurately gauge individuals' true preferences and interests, highlighting skepticism toward the notion that nations benefit from opportunistic actions. Through an examination of historical instances of American involvement in international conflicts, Sprinkle's research suggests that while cynical acts may yield short-term success, they often lead to unforeseen complications and ineffective long-term outcomes in statecraft.

The faculty showcase further explored "International Policy," with presentations on information-sharing during COVID-19, the impacts of biomass energy and mining in Indonesia, redefining global well-being perspectives, and the complexities of strategy implementation. This session was moderated by Ronquillo. CISSM Director Nancy Gallagher talked about nuclear weapons in space; Catherine Worsnop's discussion on information sharing during pandemics highlighted the political dimensions of capacity-building, while Anand Patwardhan's exploration of well-being perspectives emphasized the need for diverse global insights.

• Nancy Gallagher spoke of the recent speculation about Russia deploying nuclear weapons in space and its implications for satellite infrastructure and modern technology dependency. She emphasized the importance of diplomatic initiatives to uphold international treaties and foster stable relations with Russia, advocating against escalating concerns of space-based conflict.
• Catherine Worsnop discussed the challenge of responding promptly to disease outbreaks amidst uncertainty, particularly evident in the slow release of critical public health information during the ongoing avian influenza outbreak in dairy cows. She highlighted the importance of timely information-sharing for effective response strategies and explored the reasons behind countries' hesitance to utilize their full information-gathering capacity, signaling a need for further investigation into this issue.
• Tom Hilde presented the concept of research frontiers and the implications of biomass co-firing in Indonesia for emissions reduction. Hilde’s research shows the potential for environmental and social challenges that may arise from sourcing biomass feedstocks. While available biomass waste could contribute to co-firing, using plant waste for this won't significantly reduce pollution unless more forests are cleared, potentially leading to serious environmental and community issues in Indonesia.

• Josh Shifrinson examined historical examples of highly secure states, including the United States, the Soviet Union and the British Empire, to illustrate how the pursuit and attainment of security can lead to policy inconsistencies and complacency. This can ultimately undermine a state's strategic coherence and durability. Shifrinson poses the concept of a "security curse," suggesting that while security is often desired, its acquisition can disrupt a state's ability to maintain a coherent strategy due to factors like misguided policymaking, shifting priorities and a false sense of invincibility.

The final session, also moderated by Ronquillo, was on "Social Policy," featuring talks on well-being, regulating eating disorder treatment, the impacts of Mexico's universal pre-primary mandate, resident opinions in public housing and modern challenges in illegal drug supply. Anand Patwardhan's exploration of well-being perspectives emphasized the need for diverse global insights. Angela Bies' examination of eating disorder treatment regulations highlighted the complexities of healthcare governance, while Peter Reuter's analysis provided fresh insights into illicit drug supply chains.

• Anand Patwardhan introduced his early research that focuses on understanding the concept of "the good life" in relation to sustainability. The research emphasizes the importance of addressing both supply-side and demand-side concerns, and looks to gather different perspectives on how individual values intersect with social and policy choices. This contributes to rethinking sustainable futures beyond GDP and toward the next phase of sustainable development goals.
• Angela Bies presented her research on the complexities of eating disorders, emphasizing their severity, rising costs and disparities in diagnosis and treatment, especially among marginalized groups. Her research examines failures in understanding and addressing eating disorders, regulatory challenges and a large-scale Lived Experience Project to inform policy and nonprofit interventions.

• Susan Parker presented her research, which focuses on poverty reduction programs in Latin America and the effects of preschool education, particularly on Mexico's universal pre-primary mandate. Parker's research, in collaboration with co-authors, shows significant long-term impacts including increased preschool attendance, delayed primary school entry, improved test scores and non-cognitive skills and a notable rise in the probability of high school completion among those children.
• Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz presented her research on U.S. public housing, which was initiated by a housing authority's contemplation of transitioning to vouchers. Through surveys of residents, Pearson-Merkowitz uncovered discrepancies between their preferences and assumptions held by housing authorities, which demonstrates the importance of nuanced housing policy informed by residents' perspectives.
• Peter Reuter discussed his research from an NSF project in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon and Rand Corporation which aims to enhance models for comprehending illegal markets, focusing particularly on drug markets. Reuter's research highlights a shift in attention from specific drug epidemics to a 45-year surge in drug overdoses, which prompted inquiries into the long-term trends and factors contributing to this rise. Particular focus was paid to fentanyl's emergence in the opioid market and its gradual dissemination in comparison to other drugs.

The faculty research showcase offered a glimpse into the rigorous work of faculty researchers, highlighting their exceptional research contributions. The event served as a platform to discuss important policy issues, emphasizing the School's commitment to advancing knowledge and addressing pressing societal challenges.