Cornell Brooks School Magazine: Spring 2024

Strengthening Global Democracy

School Launches New Center

2

Making An Impact

- Brooks School launches Center on Global Democracy

- Students, formerly incarcerated women draft bill for NYS Assembly

- Michener to direct new Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures

- U.S. Secretary of Transportation encourages students to participate in local politics

Brooks School Strategic Plan

Advancing Knowledge 14

- NIH-funded initiative to study School-Based Health Centers

- Vaping labels challenge: Encouraging adults, dissuading kids

- Brooks School-Weill Cornell Medicine Health Policy Fall Symposium

- Brooks School Tech Policy Institute focuses on intersection of national security and tech policy

- Stricter abortion laws linked to increase in unintended births

- Brooks School podcast interviews

Students Making a Difference

- Students live, learn, and intern on Capitol Hill

- Women’s health at the forefront of Health Care Leadership Symposium

- Brooks undergraduate journeyed to COP28 to tackle climate change

Jeb E. Brooks, MBA ’70, his wife, Cherie Wendelken, and the Brooks Family Foundation provided the generous support to name the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Jeb was an early advocate for socially responsible investment whose late father taught at Cornell and whose Cornell roots span three generations. Cherie holds a PhD in architectural history from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was a Harvard University professor. In 1999, Jeb and Cherie established the Brooks Family Foundation, which focuses on health care, underserved children, and the environment.

DEMOCRACY AND DISCOURSE

The cover of this edition of the Brooks School Magazine shows a picture of 22-year-old student activist Alaa Salah, who played a prominent role in the pro-democracy movement in Sudan in 2019. The iconic photo became a symbol of generational change, of popular protest, and of hope. For me, this image of Salah highlights the power of individuals in influencing discourse on critical issues through their words and actions – in this case, fighting to advance democratic principles and practices. A recent study by Cornell faculty in World Politics highlights the critical importance of confronting democratic backsliding around the globe, reporting democratic declines in nearly 40 countries since 1990. Starting this July, the Brooks School will address these challenges with the launch of a new Center on Global Democracy, bringing our own voices and expertise to the pressing global issue of democratic resilience. Prof. Rachel Riedl, John S. Knight Professor of International Studies, will lead this initiative as the inaugural Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Director of the newly established Center [see announcement p.5]. Housed in Brooks, the new center will bring together leading experts from across Cornell to tackle the fundamental questions facing democracy around the globe. It will serve as a central hub on campus to catalyze research, learning, and practice aimed at strengthening democratic institutions, principles, and practices [read more about the Center on Global Democracy on p.2]. I am incredibly grateful to Peggy Koenig, chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees Executive Committee and inaugural chair of the Cornell Brooks School Dean’s Advisory Council, for her endowed gift to support the launch of this new center.

This edition of our magazine also profiles the recent release of our first strategic plan. As a campus community, we have developed Founding Strategic Priorities: A Five-Year Strategic Plan to guide our growth during this early ‘start-up’ phase following the Brooks School’s launch. I am grateful to everyone in our community who contributed to developing the plan and I look forward to working together to track our progress in the years ahead. Of course, it is one thing to write a plan and quite a different thing to act on it. It will be critical to hold ourselves accountable in achieving the bold goals outlined in the plan.

I hope you enjoy reading about the Center on Global Democracy, our strategic plan, and all the other exciting developments highlighted in this edition of our magazine. Thank you for supporting the Brooks School!

Colleen Barry Dean

Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Spring 2024 Brooks School Magazine

Published by the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

Publication Date: April 3, 2024

Editor: Natalie Kimbrough

Designer: Rachel Philipson

Contributing editors and writers: Tom Fleischman, Blaine Friedlander, Sheri Hall, Kelly Merchan, Giles

Morris, and Sarah Louise Schupp

| Making An Impact |

Aerial view of the long queues of voters during the 1994 general elections in South Africa.

Brooks School launches center to combat democratic decline

Anew center housed at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy will bring together leading experts from across the university to tackle the fundamental questions facing democracy around the globe, and serve as a central hub to catalyze research and learning aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and actions.

The Center on Global Democracy (CGD) will be formally launched in July, said Colleen Barry, Brooks School dean.

“Using policy to reverse democratic declines and bolster democratic institutions and practices around the globe connects directly to the Brooks mission to advance the well-being of all people through the development of new knowledge,” Barry said.

Rachel Beatty Riedl, the John S. Knight Professor of International Studies and professor in the Department of Government in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brooks School, will serve as the center’s first director, thanks to a $5 million gift from Cornell Board of Trustees Vice Chair Peggy Koenig to endow the role as the Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Director of the Center on Global Democracy.

Koenig, a third-term Cornell trustee who chairs the board’s Executive Committee and co-chairs Cornell’s “To Do the Greatest Good” campaign, said the gift is an opportunity to fund a project that was meaningful to her personally and served the university’s broader goals.

In addition to her three terms as a trustee, Koenig is serving as the inaugural chair of the Brooks School Dean’s Advisory Council.

“With this gift, Peggy has enabled us to launch this new initiative to strengthen democratic institutions and practices with partners across the globe,” Barry said. “I am tremendously grateful for all that Peggy has done to advance critical work at the Brooks School and across Cornell.”

Learn more about Peggy J. Koenig ’78 and her gift on p.5 F

Riedl, who serves as director of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, recently identified episodes of democratic decline in nearly 40 countries since 1990 as first author of “Democratic Backsliding, Resilience, and Resistance,” which published Jan. 17 in the journal World Politics. Half of those countries exceeded the wealth threshold above which social scientists have previously believed advanced, industrial democracies could not break down, the study found.

“Rachel has been a highly collaborative leader of the Einaudi Center and she will bring that same collaborative spirit to her work as inaugural director of the CGD, deepening Cornell’s engagement with issues of democratic resilience during this critical period in global affairs and building partnerships across the university and the world around this work,” said Wendy Wolford, vice provost for international affairs and the Robert A. and Ruth E. Polson Professor of Global Development in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

A key focus of Riedl’s research is the recognition that the most imminent threat to democracy globally comes from autocratic leaders leveraging democratic institutions – election officials, legislatures, courts and the media – to consolidate executive power.

Using policy to reverse democratic declines and bolster democratic institutions and practices around the globe connects directly to the Brooks mission to advance the well-being of all people through the development of new knowledge.

- DEAN COLLEEN BARRY

“Powerful interests are using policy and other democratic tools to gradually weaken democracy. If you can identify threats to democracy and respond to them in the early stages, you’re much more likely to be able to resist backsliding,” Riedl said. “If erosion goes too deep and too far, it’s much more difficult to recover.”

The Center on Global Democracy will connect scholars across disciplines including political science, sociology, economics, law, global development, communication, psychology, and computer science, who are working on cutting-edge topics using varied methodological approaches and skill sets, Riedl said. By harnessing Cornell’s expertise across disciplines and regions, the center can create a comparative laboratory that will translate cutting-edge research in ways that yield specific policy recommendations and engage directly with policy stakeholders. The center will function at multiple levels for the university,

with priority on: advancing research; developing new curricular and student engagement opportunities; and public policy engagement with practitioners and policymakers. Students will be actively involved in the research agenda, contributing to teams led by faculty as well as developing their own projects.

According to Riedl, students will be able to optimize their learning about democracy as a set of tools and practices that they can apply to any host of challenges the world faces. Through research and public policy engagement, students will combine the strengths of democratic participation and freedom of expression with their other areas of passion and expertise, from climate to education, health, development, and beyond.

“Knowledge is power, and when combined with an opportunity to put learning into practice, students will harness their incredible capacity to serve as global leaders and engaged citizens,” Riedl said. “The idea is to make sure they are truly prepared to do the greatest good.”

As the Brooks School prepares for the Center’s launch, the opportunities to partner within and outside Cornell are evidence of the powerful demand for bolstering and reinvigorating democratic governance around the world.

If you can identify threats to democracy and respond to them in the early stages, you’re much more likely to be able to resist backsliding.

- RACHEL BEATTY RIEDL

Rachel Beatty Riedl will become the Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Director of the Center on Global Democracy on July 1, 2024.

Koenig ’78 gift names Brooks School Center on Global Democracy Directorship

PEGGY

Cornell University Board of Trustees Co-Vice Chair Peggy Koenig ’78 recently pledged $5 million to endow a named directorship for the Brooks School’s Center on Global Democracy at Cornell. Her gift has made it possible for Brooks School Dean Colleen Barry to name Professor Rachel Beatty Riedl the first Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Director prior to the Center’s launch on July 1, 2024.

“I am grateful to Peggy for so many reasons. As inaugural chair of the Brooks School Dean’s Advisory Council, her leadership has been instrumental in creating the foundation for a world class public policy school at Cornell,” Barry said.

Koenig, a third-term Cornell trustee who is also chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees Executive Committee and co-chair of Cornell’s “To Do the Greatest Good” campaign, said the gift was an opportunity to fund a project that was meaningful to her personally and served the university’s broader goals.

“Democracy is on the decline and autocracy is on the rise throughout the world,” Koenig said. “Cornell and the Brooks School are uniquely positioned to tackle this incredible challenge. With Professor Riedl’s leadership, Cornell will be a hub for building democratic resilience and encouraging our students to be active and engaged global citizens.”

Koenig, who lives in Boston, served as co-chief executive officer and managing partner of Abry Partners, directing the private equity firm with a focus on investments in media, communications information, and business services. After moving to an emeritus role at Abry Partners, she received a fellowship to participate in Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, an experience which pulled her more deeply into social impact work and public policy.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the inaugural chair of the Brooks School Dean’s Advisory Council,” Koenig said. “As a trustee, I watched the University envision and launch this new School. Now, as a volunteer leader, I see first-hand the ways in which Cornell is meeting the moment we are in as a society

– by bringing together brilliant minds to solve the pressing challenges we face through high-impact policy change.”

In addition to her three terms of service as a Trustee and her role with the Brooks School, Koenig’s contributions to Cornell have included membership on Cornell Tech’s Council, where she contributed to the launch of the Digital Life Initiative, endowing a fellowship in technology law and policy. Her philanthropic interests also include investing in the ways that higher education can alleviate inequality, with a particular focus on first generation graduate outcomes, through campaign gifts that established the Peggy J. Koenig ’78 Associate Dean for Student Empowerment, Director First-Generation & Low-Income Students. Koenig has also supported research innovation with the launch of Ignite Cornell Research to support lab to market gap funding managed by the Center for Technology Licensing and crosscampus collaboration by endowing the Geri Gay Professorship in Communication to bridge the Ithaca and Tech campuses.

“This is a tumultuous time for Cornell and for all of higher education,” Koenig said. “I am investing in this incredible institution with an additional gift during this campaign, because I believe in the University’s leadership and what is possible here.”

With this gift, Peggy has launched this important initiative to strengthen democratic institutions and practices with partners across the globe.

- DEAN COLLEEN BARRY

KOENIG ’ 78

Students, formerly incarcerated women draft bill for NYS Assembly

Students from the Brooks School State Policy Advocacy Clinic have teamed up with lawmakers and a community-based nonprofit representing formerly incarcerated mothers to introduce new legislation that would protect the rights of preand postnatal women in prisons and jails across New York.

On Feb. 6, the students – Bridgit Haggerty ’24, Patrick Kuehl ’24, masters student Owen (“Gus”) Dunn-Hindle, Vienna O’Brien ’24, Njeri Kiritu ’24, Serena Wang ’25, Melanie Harster ’24 and Kristen D’Souza ’24 – traveled to Albany to hear the legislation they drafted as part of the CARE Act introduced on the New York State Assembly floor by its sponsor, Assemblyperson Anna Kelles (D-125th District).

“For the last year we’ve had undergraduate and graduate students from the policy advocacy clinic who are standing here, who wrote this piece of legislation that I have the honor

of carrying that requires pre-and postnatal care in the carceral system,” Kelles told the crowd in the Assembly chambers, before addressing the students directly. “You did the research, you did the strategy, the messaging… I was so blown away. This is what civic engagement looks like. This is what we should have at every level of government.”

The partnership is an outgrowth of the State Policy Advocacy Clinic’s experiential learning, in which students work with community groups to improve policy. Members of the team worked closely with the Long Island-based nonprofit New Hour for Women and Children, which was founded in 2015 to support justice-impacted women, children, and families through both direct service and advocacy efforts.

The CARE Act (S7132/A7630), which amends Section 611 of the state correction law relating to births to incarcerated individuals

Brooks School State Policy Advocacy Clinic students stand before the New York State Assembly, while CARE Act legislation they helped to draft is presented. Photo Credit: NYS Assembly staff photographer.

and care of children to incarcerated individuals, represents months of collaboration between the team and the legislation’s advocates, which included New Hour, Kelles, and State Senator Julia Salazar (D-18th District).

Haggerty, a human development major in the College of Human Ecology, was able to use the skills she gained in her major classes to conduct a review of developmental research on the best practices for fostering maternal-infant bonding between mothers who are incarcerated and their newborns.

“New Hour included a right to maternalinfant skin-to-skin contact directly following birth in the most recent version of the CARE Act,” Haggerty said. “It was rewarding to see these findings become part of the language of a bill that directly supports the health and well-being of women and infants across New York.”

While the bill’s fate will be decided in the coming months, the push to expand the rights of incarcerated women and their children is an ongoing process for New Hour and its members, many of whom are formerly incarcerated mothers. Founder Serena Martin-Liguori explained that the chance to advocate for policies informed by the experiences of New Hour’s community members and drafted by the students was an important step forward.

“This work would not be possible without support from our community and the students from Cornell,” Martin-Liguori said. “We believe in dignity and justice for all people, but especially for women behind bars in our prisons and jails, who are experiencing dire challenges to their reproductive equity.”

The team’s visit to Albany was part of a broader effort to bring the legislation to the attention of New York lawmakers. As sponsor, Kelles is working for the new policies to be adopted, which will require votes in both the State Assembly and the State Senate.

This work would not be possible without support from our community and the students from Cornell.

- SERENA MARTIN-LIGUORI

“I am grateful for the opportunity for our clinical students to work directly with lawmakers and communities with lived experience,” said Alexandra Dufresne, director of the State Policy Advocacy Clinic. “Many of the students in the clinic will go onto careers in government and in advocacy, so it is crucial for them to gain firsthand experience turning academic research into concrete evidence-based legislative and policy proposals.”

Serena Martin-Liguori, executive director of Long Island-based nonprofit New Hour for Women and Children, speaks to media with supporters of the bill, including Assemblyperson Anna Kelles (D-125th District) and State Senator Julia Salazar (D-18th District), and Cornell students from the Brooks School’s State Policy Advocacy Clinic.

Deputy Speaker of the NYS Assembly Phil Ramos, staff, members of New Hour, and State Policy Advocacy Clinic students.

Michener to direct new Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures

Jamila Michener, senior associate dean of public engagement at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and associate professor of government in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been named the inaugural director of the university’s new Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures.

The center will connect and amplify the university’s research and scholarship around issues of racial injustice and inequality, and its work to develop more just and equitable public policy.

“There is a tremendous breadth of scholarship across the university on issues of racism, indigeneity, ethnicity, and bias,” President Martha E. Pollack said. “This new center, under Professor Michener’s leadership, will support and elevate that scholarship, advancing opportunities to break cycles of inequality and injustice.”

“There are advocacy and community organizations and government agencies working to advance racial justice in the world,” Michener said. “But what is Cornell’s place of comparative advantage? What can we contribute? Our critical resources are faculty and students. For the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures, we can draw on the strength and brilliance of our faculty and on the passion and energy of our students to facilitate real progress in the face of the enduring challenges of racism.”

In July 2020, Pollack asked the Cornell Faculty Senate to develop a proposal for an academic research center to understand the systems and structures that perpetuate racism and inequality. On April 30, 2021, the Faculty Senate passed Resolution 163, which supported

the creation of the Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures.

“Jamila’s leadership will quickly establish this center as a hub for research, education, and teaching –advancing the understanding of how race has impacted law and policy, and thereby helping to shape our future,” Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff said.

Avery August, deputy provost, and Colleen Barry, dean of the Brooks School, cochaired a national search for a director. They sought a candidate who could build an interdisciplinary community of faculty and students capable of generating and analyzing visions of ethical futures, as well as provide opportunities to forge new intellectual and social bonds.

“Jamila is really a star in her discipline,” said August, professor of microbiology and immunology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Her research is squarely in the center of where she’ll be working. She has many qualities that will help her build this center. Jamila is a natural leader. She’s a convener, which is an important quality for someone launching a new center and bringing together faculty from across different disciplines to achieve results toward a common goal. We couldn’t be more pleased that she’s agreed to take on this directorship.”

“Jamila is a leading national and international scholar in public policy and racial justice, and she cares deeply about public engagement to ensure that research can inform the political process,” Barry said. “Throughout her career, Jamila has focused on how research can positively affect people’s lives with a focus on the most vulnerable groups in

our society. She is also a stellar teacher and deeply dedicated to training a next generation of research scholars working to create a more just, equitable world.”

Michener earned her bachelor’s degree at Princeton University in 2003, and her master’s degree (2006) and doctorate (2011), both in political science, from the University of Chicago. She was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Scholar from 2011 and joined the Cornell faculty in 2013.

Her interest in racial justice and equality stems from childhood, as her family moved from the Caribbean to Brooklyn and Queens in search of better economic opportunity.

Jamila’s leadership will quickly establish this center as a hub for research, education and teaching – advancing the understanding of how race has impacted law and policy, and thereby helping to shape our future.

- PROVOST MICHAEL I. KOTLIKOFF

“Growing up I lived in working class and low-income communities with a lot of immigrants of color, Black immigrants from the Caribbean, Latino immigrants from different parts of South America and Latin America – some of the most diverse places in the country,” Michener said. “Once I began college, learning about racial inequality helped me to understand my own life experiences growing up. I felt empowered as I began to develop an empirically rooted and deeply informed narrative about why things were the way they were in the world and in this country.”

Michener’s influence reaches beyond campus. Her 2018 book, “Fragmented Democracy: Medicaid, Federalism, and Unequal Politics,” on how the federal Medicaid and its policies affect democracy, won the 2019 Virginia Gray Best Book Award from the American Political Science Association and the 2019 PROSE Award for Excellence in Social Sciences Finalist from the Association of American Publishers.

In 2022, she testified before the U.S. House of Representatives about needed reforms to expand access to affordable health care and move the nation toward universal coverage. Last winter, at a White House “Evidence-to-Impact” collaborative event, Michener urged policymakers to consult with beneficiaries of government programs and services to learn from their experiences.

“I want to acknowledge that this is not an easy time to build a center to advance racial justice,” Michener said. “But precisely because this is a difficult time, it is a necessary time – when the world needs this most. This is exactly the right time. I’m looking forward to building this Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures and all it represents.”

There is a tremendous breadth of scholarship across the university on issues of racism, indigeneity, ethnicity and bias...

- PRESIDENT MARTHA E. POLLACK

Jamila Michener

U.S. Secretary of transportation encourages students to participate in local politics

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg provided an intimate look at the most pressing issues in federal infrastructure planning during a joint event held November 2, 2023, with students and faculty members from the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.

“Infrastructure is the literal foundation of our economy,” Buttigieg said, during a conversation moderated by the Cornell Brooks School Institute of Politics and Global Affairs Director Congressman Steve Israel and Roosevelt House Policy Program

Director Basil Smikle ’93 in which he urged more people to actively participate in infrastructure planning processes.

“I hope you are conscious of how empowered you are,” he told the students. “If you want to testify in Congress, you actually have to be invited, right? But in a city council hearing or a zoning board process or a Transit Authority Board Meeting or often a state assembly committee meeting, depending where you live, you can just show up and be heard. And so I hope that citizens, students, residents are conscious of the chance that you have to influence the places where the decisions are made.”

Cornell students pose with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Cornell Brooks School Institute of Politics and Global Affairs Director Steve Israel at the Roosevelt House

Many of the projects Buttigieg discussed during the event are funded by the 2021 Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act, which provides $550 billion of new federal infrastructure spending through 2026. He explained that funding broader infrastructure projects like replacing water pipes and expanding broadband Internet is an important component of the funding package.

“We should think about everything that connects people to the economy,” he said. “Economically, to succeed in life, a connection to the Internet is as vital as a connection to the interstate highway system.”

Buttigieg compared the broadband expansion to historic projects such as rural electrification.

“Nobody today could imagine that we would have just not electrified the entire country,” he said. “One day, I think, nobody will be able to imagine that we would have not made sure everybody had the Internet or was a little closer to a transportation line.”

For Andy Shin ’23 MPA ’25, who attended the talk, hearing Buttigieg speak was a call to action to get more involved in local politics.

“It’s a powerful reminder that our voices can – and should – be heard in local governance,” Shin said. “From city council hearings to state assemblies, it’s clear that opportunities to influence decision-making are much more accessible than one might think.”

Buttigieg noted that, for the first-time ever, federal infrastructure funding includes dedicated money for climate resiliency.

“We have the most money going to transit ever,” he said. “It’s urgently needed and it’s a big part of the fight against climate change. Transportation planners don’t have the luxury of sitting around debating whether climate change is a thing,” he said. “Last year, we had transit in the Pacific Northwest shut down because the cables would have melted if they had kept running during a heat wave that should have been impossible, but happened. This is happening to our infrastructure today.”

Buttigieg also highlighted what he called “a crisis of roadway deaths.” More than 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – nearly approaching the number of firearm deaths in the U.S.

“Growing up in the years I was growing up in the Midwest, you counted down the days to getting your driver’s license because it was the threshold that represented freedom,” he said. “Today, we are beginning to realize that freedom should be conceived more broadly to getting where you need to be.”

It’s a powerful reminder that our voices can – and should – be heard in local governance.

- ANDY SHIN ’23, MPA ’25

Andy Shin ’23, MPA ’25 with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Mapping Our Future |

To meet the challenges of our time, the world requires a new generation of leaders with the skills and drive to tackle the biggest policy problems we face as a global society.

- DEAN COLLEEN

BARRY

Our Founding Strategic Priorities

The Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy was established in September 2021 to unify Cornell’s wide-ranging expertise in policy research, education, and engagement into a single, world-class entity positioned to tackle the complex global policy problems of our time.

In publishing our Founding Strategic Priorities, the Brooks School has adopted a plan that can guide our work in these crucial, initial years following our founding.

Over the past two years, Brooks School community members have worked together with senior leadership to craft this plan and over the past few months we have worked to finalize the language. The process has included a frank discussion about the tradeoff between setting aspirational goals with the awareness that we might not achieve everything we set out to do over a 5-year period versus setting realistic goals that we knew we could achieve. There was universal agreement with the notion that we should embrace aspirational “stretch” goals.

Faculty and staff also discussed the inherent challenges in building on the long histories of specific programs, centers, and initiatives in existence prior to the start of the School while building a broader commitment to an integrated, missiondriven School. As a newly formed community, we have worked collaboratively to develop long-term goals that drive shorterterm actions designed to achieve these strategic priorities.

Together, we are committed to conducting rigorous, groundbreaking research to solve the most pressing policy problems facing our global society, educating future leaders who can improve societal well-being, and serving as a dynamic hub for policy engagement on the Cornell campus.

We intend to advance these strategic priorities over the next five years in a manner that fosters a thriving academic community, builds an ethos of collaboration, advances equity, and prioritizes impact. We anticipate rapid movement forward on our strategic priorities given the energy and dynamism inherent in this “start-up” phase following the creation of the Brooks School.

VIEW OUR FULL STRATEGIC PLAN HERE: publicpolicy.cornell.edu/about/strategicplan

ENGAGEMENT RESEARCH EDUCATION

| Advancing Knowledge |

NIH-funded initiative to study School-Based Health Centers

Access to health care among low-income rural youth stands as a pressing concern in the landscape of public health in rural New York. School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) have emerged as a promising solution to enhance health care accessibility; however, the specific impact of SBHCs in rural communities remains unknown. With new funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Cornell faculty will investigate how SBHCs are not only leaving a positive impact on students, but also on the wider community’s well-being and public services across four counties in upstate New York.

The project, “School-Based Health Centers - An approach to address health disparities among rural youth” is led by Sharon Tennyson, professor of public policy and economics; Mildred Warner, professor of city and regional planning and global development; John Sipple, professor of global development; Elaine Wethington, professor emeritus of human development and sociology; and Xue Zhang, research associate in city and regional planning. The project is in collaboration with Jane Hamilton, RN, practice manager of Bassett Healthcare Network’s School-Based Health Program, and Wendy Brunner, director of the Center for Rural Community Health at Bassett Research Institute.

Bassett Healthcare Network operates 22 SBHCs across the four low-income rural New York counties, providing medical, dental, and mental health care to students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. More than 7,000 students in 18 school districts are enrolled across the region. Bassett’s School-

Based Health services are available to all students enrolled in participating districts regardless of income, with no out-ofpocket costs to any student or family.

“The disparities in health among rural youth are deeply intertwined with broader issues of equality and access in our communities,” said Sipple. “Our research aims to shed light on how policy, linking local, state, and federal levels, can play a pivotal role in ensuring that every child, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status, has access to quality health care and enhanced educational, social and economic outcomes.”

The project proposes a multilevel mixedmethods evaluation, combining qualitative and quantitative data from various sources, including interviews, focus groups, administrative data, surveys, and patient health care visit data. “Our collaboration with Bassett Healthcare Network enables us to analyze patient records to assess the impact of SBHCs on child health care utilization and broader health and academic outcomes,” noted Tennyson.

According to Mildred Warner, the project’s approach goes beyond

the health care system to examine how the structure of local services and communities can influence the health outcomes of rural youth.

“By understanding the intersections of government services and community planning, we aim to provide a holistic perspective that informs not only health care policies but also broader strategies for creating healthier, more supportive environments for youth in rural New York,” said Warner.

“Bassett is thrilled to be partnering with Cornell University on this research project so that we can delve more deeply into the data and build a deeper understanding of the role of SBHCs in rural communities,” said Wendy Brunner of Bassett Healthcare Network.

“This highly qualified team is the perfect group to undertake this project, which I believe is highly significant and likely to have an impact on youth health outcomes far beyond rural New York,” said Elaine Wethington, who has played a pivotal role as mentor to the project.

Our collaboration with Bassett Healthcare Network enables us to analyze patient records to assess the impact of SBHCs on child health care utilization and broader health and academic outcomes.

- SHARON TENNYSON

Vaping labels challenge:

Encouraging adults, dissuading kids

Getting tobacco vaping warning labels right for both adults and teens has proven complex, as regulators confront two public health challenges: How to promote e-cigarette use as an alternative for adults who smoke cigarettes, while warning teens who use e-cigarettes of the potential long-term consequences, which include nicotine addiction and exposure to toxic chemicals.

In a recent study published in Social Science and Medicine, a multidisciplinary team led by Jeff Niederdeppe, senior associate dean for faculty development in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and professor of communication in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), sought to deepen regulators’ understanding of how both adults and teens respond to the warning labels.

“This is really a nuanced challenge for regulators,” Niederdeppe said. “Can we get the labels to do two things at once so they are helping more adults to quit smoking while getting more teens to realize e-cigarettes are still bad for them?”

Co-authors include Sahara Byrne, senior associate dean and professor of communication in CALS; Rosemary Avery, professor in the Brooks School; Amelia Greiner Safi, professor of social and behavioral sciences and public health practice in

JEFF NIEDERDEPPE

ALAN MATHIOS ROSEMARY AVERY

the Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, in the College of Veterinary Medicine; Michael Dorf, the Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law at Cornell Law School; Alan Mathios, professor in the Brooks School; and Motasem Kalaji, assistant professor of communication studies at California State University, Northridge.

The team’s paper, “Managing a Policy Paradox? Responses to Textual Warning Labels on E-cigarette Advertisements Among U.S. National Samples of Youth Overall and Adults Who Smoke or Vape,” assessed responses to five e-cigarette warning message themes, placed in the context of ads for vaping products.

“The warning manipulations in our experiment were based on statements that U.S. federal agencies have made on the potential harms of e-cigarette use, which include nicotine addiction, harm to the developing brain among youth, and the potential for exposure to toxic chemicals like lead and formaldehyde,” Byrne said.

More than 12% of high school students and 5% of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. More than 28 million U.S. adults (11.5%) still smoke tobacco cigarettes daily.

While the FDA has not approved e-cigarettes as an evidencebased solution for smoking cessation, the CDC has acknowledged that they are less harmful than regular tobacco cigarettes and that they can be effective in helping adults to quit smoking.

In the study, respondents were randomly assigned to view one of five message theme conditions, each of which featured three different warning label messages placed on an ad for an e-cigarette product.

The responses showed that relative to the current FDA warning – “This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical”– alternative warning label messages were largely ineffective at reducing youth willingness to vape in the future, or at changing risk beliefs about vaping products relative to cigarettes among adults who smoke or vape.

The research did reveal one potential opportunity for regulators and health communicators: Messages that describe the chemical constituents of vaping products, and articulate the potential health harms of those chemicals, may have potential to promote interest in quitting tobacco products among adults who smoke and vape.

The Cornell-led multidisciplinary team, which published a related paper last June, continues to build a body of research that can help guide regulators in the future.

“We’ve got 50 to 60 years’ worth of research on the effects on the body of smoking tobacco, but vaping products are relatively new,” Avery said. “Though the general consensus is that the risks of their use are lower than cigarettes’, there’s still a lot we don’t know about them. So how do you develop statements that are true and can stand up in court, when the science is still evolving?”

Brooks School-Weill Cornell Medicine Health Policy Fall Symposium

In partnership with the Division of Health Policy and Economics at Weill Cornell Medicine, the Brooks School hosted a fall Health Policy Symposium on October 15-16, 2023, at the Statler Hotel in Ithaca, New York. The two-day event was a cross-campus program designed to bring together health policy researchers across Cornell’s New York City and Ithaca campuses.

The symposium began with opening remarks from Brooks School Dean Colleen Barry and Provost Michael Kotlikoff. Kotlikoff stressed the importance of collaboration between the two campuses, saying, “Many of our health care problems are not technical problems but socio-technical problems. And our abilities to collaborate on those problems with the expertise of this campus [Ithaca] and the expertise of Weill Cornell is unlimited.”

Dr. Beth McGinty, Chief of the Division of Health Policy and Economics in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, introduced the symposium’s two panels: “Health Equity and Policy” and “The Evolving Healthcare Market: Threats and Opportunities.”

The “Health Equity and Policy” panel was moderated by Dr. Dhruv Khullar, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell. It included panelists Will Schpero, assistant professor at Weill Cornell; Jamila Michener, Senior Associate Dean of Public Engagement at the Brooks School and associate professor in the Department of Government; and Neil Lewis, associate professor in the Department of Communication.

Brooks School professor Sean Nicholson moderated the “Evolving Health Care Market: Threats and Opportunities” panel. Panelists included Dr. Tyler Braun, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell; Michael Richards, professor, and incoming director of the Sloan Program in Health Administration at the Brooks School; and Amy Bond, assistant professor at Weill Cornell.

After the panel sessions, participants had time to network and learn more about each other’s health policy research. Dean Barry concluded the symposium with remarks and encouraged the community to build mutually beneficial cross-campus collaborations in health policy.

Health Equity and Policy discussion moderated by Dhruv Khullar alongside panelists Jamila Michener, Will Schpero, and Neil Lewis.

We live in an era in which rapid technological change shifts the global security balance in real time. No one knows that better than Sarah Kreps, director of the Brooks School Tech Policy Institute (BTPI), and John L. Wetherill Professor in the Department of Government in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Kreps’ sabbatical year has balanced answering calls from the White House about how to think about elections and democratic participation in an era of AI, working on her own book about tech policy, and studying regulatory schemes governing artificial intelligence in order to develop a new theoretical roadmap for U.S. policymakers as they grapple with the promises and potential perils of generative AI.

“It became clear to me that technologies and strategies were moving faster than the policy wheels could turn, and that worried me,” Kreps said of the impetus to found the Brook School Tech Policy Institute. “We cannot safely unlock the potential of AI and other emerging technologies without developing wellresearched, responsible policies.’”

With funding from the Jain Family Institute, Kreps and BTPI Fellow Adi Rao, PhD candidate at Cornell University’s Department of Government and associate at the RAND Corporation, are in the final stages of a research paper that presents a high-level framework to begin thinking about regulation of AI technologies. Rao and Kreps are also partnering with Microsoft Research on AI policy. In the meantime, Kreps fields several media requests every week from a news cycle that hammers her areas of expertise.

In response to these profound technological shifts, the Institute has positioned itself as a leading authority at the crossroads between national security and technology policy. With research hubs on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, supercomputing, and drones, the Brooks TPI serves as a home for interdisciplinary collaboration at Cornell– its mission to unite experts from across STEM and the social sciences to work with policymakers and industry leaders as they address emerging challenges to national security.

It’s that ambition that attracted Brooks School Senior Lecturer James Patton Rogers to serve as the Institute’s first executive director in the fall of 2023. An expert in military history and

Brooks School Tech Policy Institute focuses on intersection of national security and tech policy

technology with a specialization in drone warfare, Rogers has also had a busy year. He published his book “Precision: A History of American Warfare” in December and currently serves as an advisor to NATO and the UN Security Council on drone warfare– roles that entail examining high-tech weapon systems and stopping next-generation technologies falling or being placed into the hands of violent non-state groups.

Rogers sees his work at BTPI as an effort to instigate collaboration between scientists, defense experts, policymakers, and industry leaders in ways that create new frameworks for solving the pressing security challenges posed by emerging and disruptive technologies.

“We are trying to understand which emerging technologies present the greatest disruptive threat to national security today and then bring together technology experts with policymakers to find novel technical and policy solutions to these challenges,” Rogers said.

As an example, Rogers pointed to the work of BTPI Fellow Dr. Jon McCandless, an Ignite Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University, who is working to commercialize his research on semiconductors. In his work with the BTPI, McCandless focuses on the defense implications of new semiconductor technologies and informs both policy practitioners, academics, and industry leaders about the technical characteristics of his research through dedicated talks and policy briefs.

“The student response to the work has been one of the most exciting aspects, because it’s clear that they see how relevant the work is to both their professional futures and the future of global policy,” Kreps said. “We have had more demand for student research assistants than we currently have the capacity to handle, but James and I feel, for now, that it’s a good problem to have.”

JAMES PATTON ROGERS

SARAH KREPS

Stricter abortion laws linked to increase in unintended births

Prior to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, women in states that severely limit or outlaw access to abortion were 13% more likely to have a live birth resulting from an unintended pregnancy than those in states where abortion care was more accessible, according to research from the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy.

That figure is potentially even higher, as data was not available from several states that severely limit reproductive care, including Texas.

The researchers also found that the association between abortion-policy hostility and live birth due to an unintended pregnancy is particularly strong among women in younger, less educated, Medicaid, uninsured and rural populations. Those women are also at greater risk for maternal mortality, as well as health challenges for their babies.

“We know that these less advantaged women are more likely to experience health challenges and have higher rates of maternal mortality,” said Sharon Sassler, professor and director of undergraduate studies in the Brooks School and co-author of “State-Level Abortion Policy Hostility and Unplanned Births in the Pre-Dobbs Era,” which published Sept. 8 in Demography. “Their infants are also challenged –higher rates of low birth weight and higher rates of infant mortality.”

Julia Eddelbuettel ’21, now a firstyear doctoral student at Harvard University, is lead author.

In the U.S., the total number of abortions and the abortion rate both peaked in the 1980s before steadily declining over the next four decades. Increased access to and use of contraception,

due to policies including the Affordable Care Act, helped drive this decline in abortions, the researchers wrote.

Despite this trend, the most vulnerable sought abortion care at a higher rate than the general population. Among those with a family income below the federal poverty line, the proportion of women seeking abortions increased sevenfold between 2008 and 2014.

For their research, Eddelbuettel and Sassler used individual-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey of women who’d recently had a live birth, for the years 2012-18. A total of 42 states were included in the analysis.

Additional state-level data measured religiousness and the proportion of Republicans elected to the House of Representatives from a given area. Data on religiosity and political representation was obtained from the Pew Research Center and the Library of Congress, respectively. State-year-level legislative data on abortion restrictions was obtained from the Guttmacher Institute.

The researchers found that while the percentage of live births from unintended pregnancies (either mistimed or unwanted pregnancy) has decreased over the last 15 years, this decrease was not evenly distributed across the country. States with the highest levels of live births from unintended pregnancies were in the South and Midwest regions, while the lowest levels were found in the Northeast and West.

State characteristics – including share of population who attend religious services weekly, and higher shares of Republicans in the House of Representatives – were

associated with greater likelihood of a live birth from an unintended pregnancy.

The paper also found that public policies mattered: Women living in states with a greater number of policies that made it difficult to access abortions –which were legal in all states prior to the Dobbs decision in June of 2022 –experienced significantly higher levels of unintended pregnancies that resulted in a live birth than women living in states with fewer restrictive policies.

Many states with strict abortion regulations claim they are focusing on the children, but their actions haven’t reflected that claim, Sassler said.

“Providing broader access to health insurance coverage, getting women prenatal care earlier on in their pregnancy, and extending insurance coverage for longer periods of time after they give birth is just one way of taking better care of women and children,” she said.

Eddelbuettel began this research, which would become her honors thesis, as a sophomore majoring in policy analysis and management. She and Sassler presented the work at the 2022 Population Association of America annual meeting, during what would have been the spring of her senior year. She graduated in December 2021.

“Presenting at that conference is a highly competitive process,” Sassler said. “It’s incredibly rare for undergraduates to present there.”

SHARON SASSLER

Brooks School podcast interviews

Max Kapustin is an assistant professor of economics and public policy at the Brooks School, specializing in interventions aimed at improving the life outcomes of disadvantaged individuals in U.S. cities, particularly in reducing exposure to violence. With a background in conducting large-scale experiments and employing causal inference methods, Kapustin’s research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of various interventions, including cognitive behavioral programs, employment initiatives, and mentorship programs. Prior to joining Cornell, Kapustin served as a Senior Research Director at the University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab.

Episode: Do the Police Have a Management Problem? Podcast: Freakonomics

In this Freakonomics episode, Max Kapustin and his coauthors Jens Ludwig and Terrence Neumann analyze managerial practices in police departments. They studied data from the 50 largest police forces in the U.S., focusing on turnover in management and its impact on crime rates and police use of force. Tune in to Freakonomics for insights into their findings and their implications for law enforcement training.

Sharon Sassler, a professor of public policy and sociology at the Brooks School, focuses her research on understanding the life transitions of young adults, with a particular emphasis on gender dynamics in relationships and career paths. Through her work, Sassler sheds light on the challenges and inequalities faced by women in STEM fields and broader issues of family demography.

Episode: Addressing the Gender Gap in STEM Careers

Podcast: KCBS Radio: On-Demand

Join Professor Sharon Sassler as she discusses her recent research on the gender gap in STEM careers. Highlighting the persistent wage disparity and underrepresentation of women in computer science, Sassler emphasizes the need for comprehensive solutions beyond recruitment efforts. Gain insights into the complexities of closing the gender gap and promoting diversity in STEM fields.

Jasmin Higo, MPA ’23, works as a Senior Health Financing Associate at the Nairobi-based organization Financing for Health. There, she works with governments and regional institutions to design, develop and implement financing solutions to address health sector investment gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Daniel Arukwe Johansen, MPA ’12, serves as the Head of Operational Information Management and Performance Reporting at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Yemen Country Office. He has previously worked with WFP in emergency settings in Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Syria, as well as at WFP headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Episode: Delivering Humanitarian Aid in War Zones

Podcast: Cornell Policy Review Podcast

Join Jasmin Higo and Daniel Arukwe Johansen as they discuss the complexities of delivering humanitarian aid in conflict zones. From contextualizing data to building resilience in communities, they offer valuable insights into the critical work of humanitarian organizations. Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in humanitarian assistance.

LISTEN

Nick Fabrizio, a senior lecturer at the Brooks School, brings his expertise in workplace dynamics and organizational management to the forefront. With a wealth of experience advising companies, government agencies, and health care institutions, Fabrizio offers valuable insights into strategic decision-making and workforce trends.

Episode: Work From Wherever Podcast: Cornell Keynotes

In this insightful episode of Cornell Keynotes, Nick Fabrizio discusses the evolving landscape of remote work and its implications for both employees and employers. As more Americans express a preference for flexible work arrangements, Fabrizio delves into the challenges and opportunities associated with remote work. From productivity considerations to recruitment strategies, Fabrizio provides actionable insights for navigating the new normal of remote work.

Thomas O’Toole, the Executive Director of Public Affairs Programming at the Brooks School, brings his expertise in nonprofit leadership and public administration to the forefront. With a focus on preparing future leaders for the challenges of the nonprofit sector, O’Toole offers valuable insights into effective leadership and organizational management.

Episode: What Issues Will You Face as a New Nonprofit Leader?

Podcast: Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

In this engaging episode of Cornell Keynotes, Thomas O’Toole explores the essential skills and challenges of nonprofit leadership. From navigating burnout to fostering adaptability, O’Toole provides actionable strategies for aspiring nonprofit leaders. Discover how the interdisciplinary approach of the Brooks School’s MPA program prepares students for impactful careers in public affairs.

Catherine Kling , a faculty member in the Brooks School and Tisch University Professor in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, is dedicated to bridging the gap between environmental conservation and economic decision-making. With a focus on the economic valuation of ecosystem services, Kling advocates for incorporating the true worth of nature into policy decisions.

Episode: Catherine Kling on Nature’s Real Worth

Podcast: IMF Women in Economics

In this special episode of the International Monetary Fund's Women in Economics series, Catherine Kling discusses the economic value of nature and its importance in fostering sustainability. By incorporating the true worth of nature into economic policies, Kling argues for the preservation of natural resources for future generations. Join the conversation on the intersection of economics and environmental conservation.

| Students Making a Difference |

Students live, learn, and intern on Capitol Hill

Shelby Lynn Williams ’25 outside of the White House, Washington, D.C. Photo credit: Sam Kittner Photography.

What do the White House, the U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and the Senate Majority Leader’s office have in common?

Cornell students have worked at each institution through Cornell in Washington (CIW), a semester-long engaged learning program founded in 1980 and housed at the Brooks School for Public Policy.

The Cornell in Washington experience, which is open to undergraduates and graduate students across campus, includes three components: an internship, policy-related coursework, and Cornell-led experiences throughout Washington, D.C. During the fall, spring, and summer semesters, up to 45 students live and study together at the Cornell University Wolpe Center, a housing and learning complex located only a mile from the White House and within walking distance of D.C. landmarks like Dupont Circle and the Lincoln Memorial.

John Cawley, professor in the Brooks School of Public Policy and the Department of Economics, became Director of the CIW program in 2021.

“I hear over and over again from alumni that they wouldn’t be where they are today professionally without their experience in CIW,” Cawley said. CIW Alumni include: Hansen Clarke, former Congressman from Michigan; Hon. Alan G. Paez, Federal judge; Leonard Leo, Chairman of the Board of the Federalist Society; Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN; and Tom Goldstone, Executive Producer for CNN.

Beyond remarkable internship opportunities, CIW offers classroom and experiential learning not available to students on the Ithaca campus.

“Our goal is to offer courses better taken in D.C. than anywhere else,” Cawley said. “Many of the courses are taught by policy practitioners, and all of them bring in D.C. experts as guest speakers and frequently involve field trips to D.C. institutions.” Last semester, students visited the U.S. Supreme Court, where they met with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and CNN, where they observed the broadcast news floor and recording studio.

They also visit important landmarks as a cohort, including the National Museum of African American History & Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Holocaust Museum. “These are some of the best museums in the world on those topics, and every educated citizen should be aware of those histories,” Cawley said. “We try to create a well-rounded experience that helps the students understand what it is like to live and work in the Nation’s Capital.”

Let’s meet some of the fall 2023 Cornell in Washington students.

Shelby Lynn Williams ’25

Major: Government and Robert S. Harrison College Scholar Program

Hometown: Trenton, NJ

Since her early teenage years, Shelby Lynn Williams ’25 knew she wanted to work in Washington D.C. – and specifically participate in Cornell in Washington.

Williams, a 19-year-old government and college scholar double major, interned in the Office of the First Lady through the White House Internship Program in the fall of 2023 during her Cornell in Washington semester. There, she was responsible for assisting the social office team with planning and executing events for the President and First Lady.

“It was incredibly exciting to provide support for events pertaining to topics like artificial intelligence, gun violence prevention, and cultural heritage, and to even assist with the Australian State Dinner!” she said. “Through my internship, I learned how these events allow the administration to engage with the public to enhance their understanding of the administration’s public policy achievements.”

Overall, the experience reinforced Williams’ ambitions to work with people and broadened her perspective on what it means to work in public service.

“Above all, this experience taught me that there isn’t a singular way to be of service to the nation, nor is there a designated sequence of steps that one should follow,” she said. “It is my hope that my internship and broader Cornell in Washington experience will inspire other students, young people, and my community back home to recognize that they can achieve big things and make an impact!”

Shelby Lynn Williams ’25 with Dr. Jill Biden during her internship at the White House.

| Students Making a Difference |

Jenna Alland ’25

Major: Government

Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

For as long as she can remember, Jenna Alland ’25 has been interested in the history of Washington, D.C., and the inner workings of the federal government. That made applying to Cornell in Washington an easy choice. This fall, Alland worked for the House Budget Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-TX).

“As a government major, oftentimes my courses in Ithaca are taught through a theoretical lens, debating political theory from Machiavelli to Waltz, but the practical experience of working on Capitol Hill provided a unique and invaluable perspective,” she said. “Witnessing the day-to-day operations of passing legislation allowed me to see the real-world applications of the theoretical concepts learned in my government courses.”

“And I had the opportunity to work for an office from my home state,” she said. “It was rewarding to work with Texans to address issues impacting my home state and local community.”

Alland found that her CIW courses helped her better understand the lessons she learned in her day job.

“My classes at CIW across the board have been my favorite of my time at Cornell,” she said. “Professor (Mary) Cheney’s class, Polarization in the United States, was a personal highlight. In the course, we explored the multifaceted forces fueling polarization and delved into the intricate web of cultural, political, and social dynamics shaping U.S. politics over the past five decades. It was fascinating to work on Capitol Hill during the day and then reflect on the shortcomings of that very system at night with my peers.”

Chase Young ’24

Major: Policy Analysis and Management Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio

A growing interest in data science and curiosity about careers in Washington, D.C. inspired Chase Young PAM ’24 to apply to Cornell in Washington.

Young interned at the World Bank, where he helped with code testing for the Data Development Group and learned about using geospatial data for tracking poverty. The experience solidified his hopes of a career in international finance after college, and opened his eyes to working with colleagues from diverse cultures.

“We can all take lessons from the World Bank about how we can learn from each other’s cultures and how to be respectful of each other,” he said. “The World Bank employs a variety of workers from different countries and I was able to have several discussions where individuals were curious about my perspective on U.S. economic and political issues and I was able to learn about their home economies.”

Taking classes and living at the Wolpe Center helped Young feel connected to Cornell, even while living in D.C.

“Attending the Brooks School, I’ve always felt a pull towards D.C, being the center of all things public policy,” he said. “Participating in the CIW program deepened my understanding of government, especially through the insider perspectives in my classes. And the experience of living in Washington, D.C. itself and being able to talk to people can just give you a better feel of how the government works.”

Jenna Alland ’25 outside of the Capitol Building where she interned in the House Budget Committee through Chairman Jodey Arrington’s office. Photo Credit: Sam Kittner Photography.

Chase Young ’24 presenting his CIW final project in the Wolpe Center. Photo Credit: Sam Kittner Photography.

CORNELL IN WASHINGTON AT THE BROOKS SCHOOL

Alexa Richardson ’24

Major: Communication

Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Alexa Richardson ’24 applied to Cornell in Washington to branch out and experience a new city. “I wanted to expand beyond the Ithaca ‘bubble’ for a while and explore new horizons in my final semester,” she said.

What began as curious exploration became a pivotal experience for Richardson, a communications major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

“Cornell in Washington has inspired me to pursue a career in international affairs and work towards positively impacting the world,” she said. “Overall, this experience has significantly influenced my future goals and ambitions, and I am excited to see where it takes me.” Richardson was an intern in the office of U.S. Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), where she had a front-row seat to the inner workings of the U.S. political system.

SPOTLIGHT Supreme Court Visit

Professor Ron Christie and his fall 2023 Constitutional Law students toured the Supreme Court with Justice Brett Kavanaugh, engaging in a 90-minute discussion on his judicial philosophy and exploring his chambers and the Courtroom.

By understanding the inner workings of politics and government, I am better equipped to advocate for issues important to me and my community.

- ALEXA RICHARDSON ’24

“I learned that policy starts and ends with people,” she said. “My internship provided me with a unique opportunity to witness the inner workings of government firsthand, and the experiential learning sections of Cornell in Washington allowed me to fully absorb and understand what I had learned.”

A highlight for Richardson was working on a semester-long project on maternal mortality among Black women as part of the CIW core course.

“I am incredibly passionate about this issue, and it was a privilege to work on it from a policy aspect, especially since I started my Cornell studies years ago as a global and public health major,” she said. “By approaching the problem from a different angle, I diversified the solutions and found ways to better address this critical issue. Presenting the final project allowed me to observe my personal development and improvement over the course of the semester and exhibit it to my peers and professors. It was extremely rewarding!”

Alexa Richardson ’24 outside of the Capitol Building where she interned in the office of U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

Photo Credit: Sam Kittner Photography.

Women in Health Care Leadership president, Samyukta Singh ’24 (middle), with keynote speakers, Dr. Onyinye Balogun and Eve McDavid, co-founders of Mission-Driven Tech.

Shaping the future: Women's health at the forefront of Health Care Leadership Symposium

The Women+ in Health Care Leadership Symposium, organized by students in the Sloan Program in Health Administration at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy featured a diverse panel of women for their speaker series.

This year’s theme, “Leading the Way in Women’s Health,” aimed to bring together entrepreneurs dedicated to advancing women’s health and enhancing the lives of women through their work.

Keynote speakers were Dr. Onyinye Balogun and Eve McDavid, co-founders of Mission-Driven Tech, a women’s health venture in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine. Mission-Driven Tech is dedicated to transforming gynecologic cancer care with modern technology. The keynote detailed how Balogun and McDavid harnessed the power of entrepreneurship to revolutionize women’s health care, from addressing cervical cancer care to holistic well-being.

Panelists included Julie Eagle ’89, a health care entrepreneur and investor; Mia Farnham, principal at Steelsky Ventures; Andrea Ippilito ’06, MEng ’07, founder and CEO of SimpliFed; and Armita Jamshidi ’25, Cornell eLab participant and founder of Aunt Flo’s Kitchen. Discussions ranged from infrastructure to support working women, venture capital funding for women’s health startups, and an engaging business case study on a venture focused on helping women preserve their fertility.

The event was the ninth annual symposium organized by the Women+ in Health Care Leadership club.

“Innovation and entrepreneurship in women’s health care have often been dismissed as niche endeavors,” said club president Samyukta Singh MHA ’24. “I wanted our attendees to realize how much market opportunity and value creation exists in women’s health by incorporating an investor from a women’s health venture capital firm into our line-up.”

Singh added, “It is important for people to realize that better outcomes in women’s health not only benefit women but also have positive ripple effects on children, families, and communities. Ensuring better women’s health contributes to creating stronger and healthier societies. So it is a misnomer to dismiss women’s health for only benefiting 50% of the population.”

Women in Health Care Leadership student members.

Brooks undergraduate journeyed to COP28 to tackle climate change

For public policy undergraduate, Cynthia Tan ’26, the chance to attend the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change, more commonly known as COP28, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was an opportunity of a lifetime.

The annual United Nations conference, held in the fall of 2023, brought together delegates from nearly 200 countries and included technology innovators, negotiators, climate activists, and many heads of state. Over the course of two weeks, they reported on progress, shared technology and discoveries, negotiated policy, and set goals—all in an effort to accelerate the global transition away from fossil fuels.

“COP28 highlighted the importance of collaboration and diplomacy in addressing complex, transnational issues,” Tan said. “Witnessing firsthand the intricacies of international negotiations and the challenges of achieving consensus reinforced the significance of building coalitions and fostering cooperation across borders.”

Tan’s attendance at the conference was assisted by a Brooks School Student Opportunity Grant, a program designed to give Brooks School students access to experiences in the field of public policy and affairs. These grants are made possible by donors who support this initiative directly and who give to the Brooks School annual fund. As part of the program, Tan received UN accreditation for the conference, with a Blue Zone badge which provided her access to formal negotiations, a privilege typically reserved for party delegations, heads of state, speciallydesignated observers, and accredited press members.

My participation in COP28 not only deepened my understanding of the complexities surrounding international negotiations but also broadened my perspective on the diverse array of stakeholders committed to addressing this pressing global challenge.

-

Before the conference officially began, Tan was invited to attend pre-sessionals, “Counting on a Sustainable Future: Global Conference on Gender and Environment Data”, a UN Women event where she was named an official rapporteur, an independent expert called upon by the United Nations to share expertise.

“During these preliminary sessions, we diligently advocated for the integration of gender perspectives into the negotiations, recognizing the disproportionate impact of climate change on women,” Tan said.

She also had opportunities to converse with the World Bank Chief Financial Officer in a small group session, interact with startup founders from diverse geographical backgrounds striving to combat climate change through technological innovation, and collaborate with the president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“Every day, my calendar was packed with events and meetings with experts from across the world,” she said. “I don’t think a single person I met wasn’t an important figure.”

For Tan, participating in the conference underscored the importance of evidence-based decision-making in formulating effective policies and the need for innovative approaches and bold initiatives to address pressing global issues.

“My participation in COP28 not only deepened my understanding of the complexities surrounding international negotiations but also broadened my perspective on the diverse array of stakeholders committed to addressing this pressing global challenge,” she said.

Cynthia Tan ’26 at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (COP28).

Photo finish

Julián Castro, Brooks School Nixon Distinguished Policy Fellow, guest lecturing in Professor Laura Tach's Neighborhoods, Housing, & Urban Policy course

Brooks School Executive MPA students at the Corning Museum of Glass

Sloan MHA Healthcare Students Association members

Emily Anderson MPA '23 at the Brooks School December Graduation ceremony

Elina Vaidya ’25, studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark

Professor Matt Hall with New York State Assemblymembers in Albany, New York

Hunter Maskin ’24 and Professor Jamila Michener at a Family Weekend reception

Tom Davis, Brooks School Nixon Distinguished Policy Fellow, on a campus tour with Abigail Silverman ’26 and Carolyn Chui ’26

Grace Chen ’25, Federal Communications Commission intern

Jen Wright receives the 2023 Staff Excellence Award

Student poster presentations from the Neighborhoods, Housing, & Urban Policy course

December 2023 Brooks School graduates and faculty pose for a photo after the ceremony in Willard Straight Hall

2301 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall Ithaca, New York 14853

Cornell University: Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy

The Brooks School advances policy knowledge needed to solve the most consequential problems of our time.

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Established in September of 2021, the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy is positioned to quickly become one of the nation’s leading schools of public policy. Through its teaching, research, and global engagement, the Brooks School will improve the lives of people worldwide by advancing knowledge and informing policy solutions.