Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis

Chung receives Spencer Foundation grant to study postsecondary options in St. Louis

Roger — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:02:58 +0000

The ��’s Social System Design Lab has received a $75,000 Spencer Foundation grant to study pathways from high school to careers in St. Louis. This collaborative vision planning grant will support a new research initiative focused on improving diverse education-to-career pathways for ��s in St. Louis. Principal investigator Saras Chung, a research associate professor and director of the Social System Design Lab, is leading this work in close partnership with diverse St. Louis community partners, including educators, business leaders and community nonprofits. This grant is a first step toward a potential larger award — up to $3.5 million — through the Spencer Foundation’s Transformative Research Grant program, which supports ambitious efforts to advance equity in education systems. The project...

The post Chung receives Spencer Foundation grant to study postsecondary options in St. Louis first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Huang installed as Irving Louis Horowitz Professor in Social Policy

Roger — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:39:10 +0000

Jin Huang has been installed as the Irving Louis Horowitz Professor in Social Policy at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. A ceremony took place April 22. He delivered an installation address titled “What Institutions Make Possible.” Huang is co-director of the ��’s Center for Social Development and an internationally renowned expert in the development of social policies that support family and child well-being. His work centers on financial capability and asset building programs for disadvantaged populations, such as low-income children, children with disabilities, children of immigrants, and youth in transition to adulthood. Huang’s research aims for universal policies that offer financial capability and structured asset building for all. The Irving Louis Horowitz Professorship in Social...

The post Huang installed as Irving Louis Horowitz Professor in Social Policy first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

WashU partners with St. Louis to expand CLEAN STL tornado recovery project

Roger — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:48:57 +0000

Washington University in St. Louis is formally partnering with St. Louis to expand environmental monitoring and public health research in city neighborhoods affected by the devastating May 16, 2025, tornado. “This partnership demonstrates WashU’s ‘In St. Louis, For St. Louis’ commitment to our region in concrete and tangible terms,” Chancellor Andrew D. Martin said. “Under the leadership of Dean Dorian Traube and her team in the Brown School, the Public Exchange and the researchers leading CLEAN STL are creating a model for connecting academic expertise with local leaders to effect real change.” The agreement formalizes and expands CLEAN STL — Contaminant Level Evaluation and Analysis for Neighborhoods — a multidisciplinary initiative launched in fall 2025 to provide residents and city leaders with accurate air...

The post WashU partners with St. Louis to expand CLEAN STL tornado recovery project first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Alumna brings global Indigenous education expertise to Chicago classroom

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:13:41 +0000

When Loreina Hsien graduated in August 2025 with dual master’s degrees in education from Arts & Sciences and social work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, she expected to pursue a career in international development, policy advocacy or Indigenous cultural preservation. Instead, less than a year later, she found herself teaching English language arts at a middle school on Chicago’s West Side, where educators and ��s contend with long-standing challenges, including underinvestment, community violence, and high teacher turnover. The path was unexpected. But Hsien said the classroom became a place where years of experience in education, Indigenous initiatives, international relations, and trauma-informed practice converged. “I thought my path would continue through international cross-disciplinary work and Indigenous...

The post Alumna brings global Indigenous education expertise to Chicago classroom first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Park receives Horowitz Foundation grant

Roger — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:41:20 +0000

Soobin Park, a doctoral candidate at the ��, will receive a $10,000 grant from the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy to support her PhD dissertation project. Park is among just 20 people receiving awards out of more than 845 applicants, a 2.4% acceptance rate. Her dissertation project is titled “Identifying Dementia Care Deserts: A National Study of Community Resource Gaps for People Living with Dementia.” “This project develops a Dementia Resource Environment index to identify where community-level dementia supports are most lacking,” she said. “By revealing ‘dementia care deserts,’ the study provides an evidence base for better targeting of community supports that enable older adults with dementia to remain safe and supported at home.” Established in 1997, the Horowitz Foundation...

The post Park receives Horowitz Foundation grant first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Health-related ballot measures more likely to pass

Roger — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 20:16:10 +0000

As voters are increasingly asked to decide complex health policy questions at the ballot box, new research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis finds that healthcare-related ballot measures draw more voters to the polls and are more likely to pass than other initiatives — but they’re also especially sensitive to opposition spending by special interest groups. The study, “Health Policy and Direct Democracy: Predictors of Successful Measures, 2010–2024,” forthcoming in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, analyzed 448 statewide ballot measures across 34 states, including 96 measures directly related to healthcare policy. “Our findings show that healthcare policy stands apart in direct democracy,” said Caitlin McMurtry, an assistant professor at the Brown School and senior...

The post Health-related ballot measures more likely to pass first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

WashU initiative testing soil, air in tornado-affected neighborhoods

Myra — Wed, 27 May 2026 17:56:25 +0000

The Clean STL project is a Washington University–led environmental health initiative focused on north St. Louis neighborhoods affected by the May 16, 2025, tornado. Researchers are studying whether the storm redistributed dangerous contaminants, especially lead, asbestos, and industrial dust, into residential yards, streets, and homes after older buildings were destroyed. The project combines university scientists, neighborhood organizations, and residents to map contamination risks and better understand long-term public health impacts in north city communities. Early findings suggest there is legitimate concern about lead exposure because many damaged buildings in north city were built before lead paint regulations existed. Researchers say tornado debris likely spread contaminated dust and building materials across surrounding blocks. Clean STL is now moving into a broader...

The post WashU initiative testing soil, air in tornado-affected neighborhoods first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Post-tornado soil tests find that lead is a problem—but not a new one

Myra — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:38:21 +0000

St. Louis is no stranger to the dangers of lead exposure, and in the aftermath of the May 16, 2025, tornado, people were worried. What does all that disturbed matter mean for people’s health? That question has sprung a team of academics into action over the past few months, testing soil for lead, and standing up further initiatives to proactively respond to the ongoing tornado recovery effort. Jeff Catalano, a professor of earth, planetary, and environmental sciences at Washington University, had questions. After fears of the potential risk for lead paint exposure following last year’s Palisades fire in Los Angeles, Catalano and others at WashU had the same thought following the tornado. “The thought was: well, this tornado dispersed a...

The post Post-tornado soil tests find that lead is a problem—but not a new one first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Supporting data equity in the social sector

Roger — Mon, 18 May 2026 19:40:53 +0000

A new paper published in the Harvard Data Science Review outlines complementary models for rethinking how data is used in the social sector, emphasizing that technical expertise alone is not enough to ensure fair and effective outcomes. The paper, “Learning Models and Modalities to Build Data Equity Competencies,” argues that everyone is a data person, regardless of one’s role or title, and makes the case that centering community input, ethical decision-making and collaboration is essential for equitable and effective social sector data practice. Drawing on the work of Data for Social Impact (DSI) initiative at WashU and Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at the University of Pennsylvania, the authors show how equity-focused, nontechnical training programs can help practitioners better understand how data practices impact...

The post Supporting data equity in the social sector first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

To address post-tornado concerns, WashU teams with community groups to study environmental impacts

Myra — Tue, 12 May 2026 17:49:41 +0000

As the city of St. Louis nears a year since a tornado changed the lives of many, a local university and community organizations are working to understand some of the environmental impacts of the twister. Washington University researchers are studying soil samples from neighborhoods in St. Louis’ tornado-impacted areas, searching for lead contamination that may have spread when the May 16 tornado dispersed building materials across yards and soil. “We have a lot of older buildings in the area. Before about 1980, lead was still used in paint. That was on the walls of buildings, interiors, et cetera. When you have a tornado come through and distribute all that building material, disperse it all over the soil, all over yards,...

The post To address post-tornado concerns, WashU teams with community groups to study environmental impacts first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Faculty named to Research.com’s 2026 ‘World’s Best Scientists’ list

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 16:15:39 +0000

More than a dozen faculty members from the �� have been named to Research.com’s “World’s Best Scientist 2026” rankings, an annual list compiled by the global academic platform. In the “Best Psychology Scientists 2026” category, honorees include Melissa Jonson-Reid, Ralph and Muriel Pumphrey Professor of Social Work and associate dean for educational programs; Nancy Morrow-Howell, Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy; and Paz Galupo, Audre Lorde Distinguished Professor of Sexual Health and Education. Faculty recognized in the “Best Social Sciences and Humanities Scientists 2026” category include: “The presence of our faculty across multiple categories speaks to the interdisciplinary strength of the Brown School,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School...

The post Faculty named to Research.com’s 2026 ‘World’s Best Scientists’ list first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Panel examines migration policy, vulnerability and survivor support

Fri, 08 May 2026 18:22:53 +0000

The Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Forced Migration Initiative and the Brown School Global Programs Office recently convened researchers and frontline practitioners working across the United States and internationally for “Borders, Vulnerability, and Protection: Rethinking Trafficking and Migration Policy,” a panel exploring the lived realities of migrants and trafficking survivors and the policy environments that influence their experiences. Hosted as part of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute’s Senior Policy Fellows initiative, the event reflected the institute’s commitment to connecting research, lived experience and policy to advance more effective and evidence-informed solutions for children, families and communities. The panel was led by Brown School faculty member and CFPI Senior Policy Fellow Mitra Naseh, assistant professor and founding director of the Forced Migration Initiative, and included social work scholar and researcher...

The post Panel examines migration policy, vulnerability and survivor support first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Student wins Skandalaris Center funding for youth civic engagement venture

admin — Thu, 07 May 2026 17:54:32 +0000

A �� has won funding to expand a youth civic engagement initiative aimed at increasing public understanding of policy issues and supporting emerging leaders. Ella Dennis, who is pursuing a master’s degree in social work, was awarded an Innovation Grant through the WashU Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship during the Spring 2026 Skandalaris Venture Competition (SVC) on April 15. Dennis was named an Innovator Funding winner for her startup, the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE). The ��-centered policy program provides hands-on mentorship and publication opportunities to young policy thinkers while producing accessible, nonpartisan policy briefs to cultivate a more informed public. “Too often, policy conversations feel inaccessible to the very people most affected by them, including young people,” Dennis said....

The post Student wins Skandalaris Center funding for youth civic engagement venture first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Brown School honors alumni, supporters with 2026 Awards of Distinction

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 19:11:11 +0000

The �� presented its 2026 Awards of Distinction on April 23, honoring alumni and supporters for their work advancing positive change in communities worldwide. The annual awards recognize individuals whose efforts reflect the school’s mission and commitment to improve lives globally. Hear their stories below. Emerging Leader Award Recipients Jenna Hampton Pomponi: MSW/MSP ’20 – Director of advocacy and federal programs, Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA) Jenna Hampton Pomponi is a Washington, D.C.,-based policy professional dedicated to improving affordable housing and community development programs. She currently leads government relations for the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA), a network of state agencies that administer federal programs for affordable housing, economic development, disaster recovery, and more....

The post Brown School honors alumni, supporters with 2026 Awards of Distinction first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Halvorsen named co-director of Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging

admin — Mon, 04 May 2026 07:55:00 +0000

Cal J. Halvorsen, a gerontological social work scholar and associate professor at Washington University’s Brown School, will step into a new leadership role this summer as co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. Beginning in July, Halvorsen will share leadership of the center with Brian Carpenter, a professor of psychological and brain in Arts & Sciences. He succeeds Nancy Morrow-Howell, the Betty Bofinger Brown Distinguished Professor of Social Policy at the Brown School, who is stepping back after more than a decade as co-director. Morrow-Howell will remain involved as a senior adviser. Halvorsen will also serve as assistant dean for faculty affairs at the Brown School beginning July 1. Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of...

The post Halvorsen named co-director of Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging first appeared on Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.