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Institutional Rep Update
April / 2018
APPAM International Conference:
Explore Sustainable Development in Mexico City
Please join us for the 2018 APPAM International Conference in Mexico City on July 19 - 20

The 2018 theme, Public Policy for Sustainable Metropolitan Development , will encompass a great number of topics embodied in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals developed by the United Nations. These include Poverty, Quality Education, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Climate Action.
This conference will host nearly 60 sessions and three plenaries built around the seven primary policy areas. Explore the preliminary program here. Attendees will enjoy two receptions and generous lunch schedules for optimal networking opportunities. Join researchers from around the world as they share unique perspectives on sustainability and development.

We hope to see you in Mexico City !
Governance:
Institutional Representatives Spring Meeting
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Save the date for the Institutional Representatives meeting.

Date: May 8 th, 3:30 - 5:30 pm with a reception to follow.

Location: Mathematica Policy Research
1100 First Street, NE, 12 th Floor, 20002
Via Metro, you can use either the Union Station or the No-Ma-Gallaudet stops.

In the second half of the meeting, we offer Institutional Representatives an exclusive professional learning opportunity. Featured speakers from Abt, MDRC, and Westat will present on new or emerging methods for policy analysis.

Topics include:
  • Recognizing potential pitfalls using meta-analysis and discussing feasible solutions (Austin Nichols, Principal Associate, Abt Associates);
  • Using predictive and other data analytics to support continuous program improvement (Richard Hendra, Senior Fellow, MDRC); and
  • Repurposing evaluation methods to improve the external validity of impact evaluations with the goal of predicting the impact of potential policy decisions (Rob Olsen, Associate Director, Westat).

Learn more about methods that could shape your own research or the research of your institution’s graduate students.

RSVP to Tara Sheehan, tsheehan@appam.org , by April 24 th whether you will join in person or digitally. Please also include discussion items you would like included on the meeting agenda.
Institutional Member Forum:
State and Research University Partnerships in the Opioid Crisis
Opioid misuse is a major epidemic across the nation. Local and state officials bear the burden of responses to the epidemic and need assistance coordinating research and resources.

This Institutional Forum, held at Duke University, will connect the worlds of research and policy across this escalating public health epidemic, and will be a valuable opportunity for academics, researchers, and policy officials to exchange best practices for research and policy support in the face of this crisis.

Host a forum:
Institutional Member Forums were created to help better connect the worlds of research and policy. Review the forum information and submit a proposal here.
#2018APPAM:
2018 Award and Fellowship Nominations Now Open
Nominations for the 2018 awards, as well as the application for the 2018 Equity and Inclusion Fellowship and the 40 for 40 Fellowship, are open. All recipients will be honored at the 2018 Fall Research Conference.

  • 40 for 40 Fellowship
This 2018-exclusive program will provide funding for 40 outstanding early career research professionals to attend the Fall Research Conference. Any public policy researcher, academic, or practitioner within five years of the receipt of their terminal degree is eligible.

  • Equity and Inclusion Fellowship
The Equity and Inclusion Fellowship supports the travel and participation of up to 40 students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds at the Fall Research Conference. Fellowship recipients will have the opportunity to formally network with each other and with members of the Policy Council and Diversity Committee.

  • David N. Kershaw Award
The Kershaw Award and Prize was established to honor persons who, at under the age of 40, have made a distinguished contribution to the field of public policy analysis and management. It consists of a commemorative medal and a cash prize of $10,000.

  • PhD Dissertation Award
The PhD Dissertation Award recognizes emergent scholars in the field by presenting an award for the best PhD dissertation in public policy and management. Winners receive a cash award in the amount of $1,500 in addition to a plaque, recognition at the annual Fall Research Conference, and publication of an abstract in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM).

  • Peter H. Rossi Award
The Rossi Award honors the lifetime achievements of Peter Rossi by recognizing important contributions to the theory or practice of program evaluation. The awardee gives a major talk at the annual Fall Research Conference, and receives a plaque, reimbursement for travel expenses to the meeting, and a cash award in the amount of $2,000, and is given out every other year.

Call for proposals:
Host the Pre-Conference Workshop
APPAM is will host a workshop on Wednesday, November 7, 2018, just prior to the start of the 2018 Fall Research Conference.

We invite all APPAM Institutional Members to submit a workshop proposal on an emerging policy area or topic of interest such as methodology, management topics, or timely research. The topic does not have to correspond with the overall Fall Research Conference theme.

Proposals are encouraged to be original in design and attract a broad audience of about 150 participants. Proposed workshops may take any format including, but not limited to, hands-on demonstrations or seminar style sessions. Examples of past pre-conference workshops included big data, microsimulation models, and policy engagement.

The Pre-Conference Workshop proposal deadline is May 11 th .

Call for proposals:
Host the Fall 2018 Public Policy Camp
Public Policy Camp is an initiative to introduce the field of public policy to a group of students who might not otherwise be familiar with it, as well as increase the pipeline of diverse students into APPAM institutional member graduate public policy and public affairs schools.

APPAM would like to host another Public Policy Camp event in the Fall and is requesting proposals from institutional members to host the event. Hosting the camp is a great opportunity to:
  • Meet and network with a promising group of underrepresented undergraduates that are interested in graduate school in public policy or public affairs.
  • Promote the field of public policy and public affairs.
  • Show off your campus, faculty and program to potential students.

The Public Policy Camp submission deadline is May 18 th .

APPAM Leadership Blog:
We cover a lot of important policy topics at APPAM—this one on the opioid crisis is particularly meaningful
by Tara Sheehan, APPAM Executive Director

I know a lot about opioids. More than your average joe, anyway. As an idealistic college grad in the late 1990’s, I was positive that social work was the path for me. I wanted to get some direct service experience, then go into an Masters of Social Work program and go about my merry way, trying to make a difference in the world.

My first stop was a methadone clinic in Harlem, NY. I remember thinking that what we—as direct service providers—needed most, wasn’t what federal, state or local government was prescribing. There wasn’t widespread understanding at the time that opioid addiction could (and did) happen to anyone, there was frequent debate about the benefits of harm reduction (methadone clinics and needle exchanges then, Naloxone now) and there certainly wasn’t much sympathy for chronic users.

We cover a lot of important policy research and issues at APPAM—but this one is particularly meaningful. I hope we have record attendance at the APPAM/Duke Forum and I hope even more people catch the livestream. The only way we’re going to get a handle on this crisis is to talk about it and create opportunities for the people that are working on solving it to talk to each other, share resources and learn from one another. As much and as often as possible.

Spotlight:
APPAM Members in the News
Ron Haskins, Brookings, introduced a new national policy campaign to improve outcomes for children in foster care. CHAMPS prioritizes the most powerful intervention for children in foster care: foster parents.

"Although quality of care has long been an issue, the current opioid problem brings much urgency to the need for quality foster parenting in communities across the country. Local and state child welfare systems are on the front lines of the national response, helping families and children affected by the devastating epidemic. For months, media has reported that increasing numbers of children are coming into foster care in many areas as a result of parental drug addiction, particularly to opioids."
Brian Jacob, non-resident Brookings Senior Fellow and professor at the University of Michigan, published findings that matched child maltreatment records in Michigan with educational data on all public school children in the state.

"We find that roughly 18 percent of third-grade students have been subject to at least one formal investigation for child maltreatment. In some schools, more than fifty percent of third graders have experienced an investigation for maltreatment. These estimates indicate that child abuse and neglect cannot simply be treated like a secondary issue, but must be a central concern of school personnel."
Anuj Gangopadhyaya, Urban Institute, co-published recommendations for further action on gun violence research.

"Last week, lawmakers added language to the omnibus spending bill clarifying that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can fund gun violence research... This decision paves the way for three further moves to expand what we know about gun violence—and save lives."
MDRC's Susan Scrivener and Alyssa Ratledge published a study of the Three-Year Effects of CUNY’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) for Developmental Education Students:

"Although access to college has expanded, graduation rates at community colleges remain low, especially for students who need developmental (remedial) courses to build their math, reading, or writing skills."

"Already, some colleges have started to make impressive changes... In New York, community colleges in the CUNY network have created a program that nearly doubled graduation rates."
The Urban Institute published an extensive inforgraphic based on the research of members Caroline Ratcliffe and Signe-Mary McKernan:

"This map shows the geography of debt in America at the national, state, and county levels."
Have news to share?
We want to feature your work! Email coverage and information to  info@appam.org .
Upcoming:
Mark Your Calendars for These Important Dates
May 8: Governance Meetings: Executive Committee, Policy Council & Institutional Representatives
May 11: 2018 Pre-Conference Workshop proposals due
May 18 : Public Policy Camp proposals due
May 25: Equity and Inclusion Fellowship applications due
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