Syracuse University Center for Policy Research

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23 states now have waivers restricting what SNAP participants can buy. Evaluating the fallout means tracking impacts on participants, retailers, and program administrators, not just diets. @maxwellsu.bsky.social #CPR Learn more: surface.syr.edu/record/21394

nytimes.comIn Race With U.S., China Struggles to Recruit Foreign A.I. Researchers

“The danger for the U.S. is a slow erosion of its appeal to attract talent that compounds over decades. By the time the effect shows up in the data, it is hard to reverse” says CPR Senior Research Associate Yingyi Ma in @nytimes.com. Learn more: www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/s...

apnews.comTrump’s immigration crackdown divides rural voters as midterms approach, AP-KFF poll findsAn AP-KFF poll finds that rural voters are divided on whether President Donald Trump's sweeping immigration crackdown has benefited or harmed their communities.

"For a lot of small towns, immigrants are the reason the school and hospital stayed open and the county didn’t shrink,” says CPR Director @smonnat.bsky.social in @apnews.com. Learn more: apnews.com/article/rura...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

nbcnews.toWhy the CDC edited a key Covid metric, and what it says about the state of the virusCovid infection counts are increasing in more than half the country.

As fewer people take tests or seek medical treatment for COVID infections, viral activity in wastewater has become a key way to measure transmission, says David Larsen, professor and chair of public health. “The wastewater becomes really essential,” he says. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

NBC News@nbcnews.com

The CDC raised its benchmark for levels of the Covid virus in wastewater, adjusting a key metric for assessing the disease’s transmission. As a result, officials may now classify a level that once counted as high transmission as moderate instead.

Wrapping up #ABFM2026! CPR Senior Research Associate Yilin Hou will chair two sessions on public finance in China, and CPR Graduate Research Associate Jingni Zhang will present her research on the impact of EVs on gas tax revenue. Check out their sessions below ⬇️

More from #ABFM2026! Today, CPR members Michah Rothbart, Yilin Hou, and Qining Wang will be presenting their work on school spending, property tax, and budget implementation. Check out their sessions below ⬇️

Day 1 at #ABFM2026! CPR Graduate Research Associates Jingni Zhang and Jingtao Wang will be presenting their work. Check out their sessions below ⬇️ @maxwellsu.bsky.social

17 Sept

Today at 3:30! Join us for a conversation with Gary Taubes about diet, disease, scientific controversy, and the limits of what health science can claim to know. Learn more: www.maxwell.syr.edu/events/2026/...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research@cprmaxwell.bsky.social

Join us on Thursday, 9/17 at 3:30pm for the 38th Annual Herbert Lourie Memorial Lecture on Health Policy! At this year's lecture, Gary Taubes will discuss diet, disease, scientific controversy, and the limits of what health science can claim to know. RSVP: www.maxwell.syr.edu/research/cen...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

thehill.comFamily planning in the US should also support egg freezingOur programs are designed to assist when women want to restrict their childbearing but offer no support when women want to have children.

12 Sept

“The U.S. must start thinking more about policies that promote population growth in addition to policies that help women control their fertility. Both are necessary for a healthy family planning program,” writes Professor Leonard Lopoo. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

10 Sept

Join us in one week for the 38th Annual Lourie Lecture! Gary Taubes will discuss diet, disease, scientific controversy, and the limits of what health science can claim to know. RSVP: syracuseuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research@cprmaxwell.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.comTime Invariant Variables in the Mundlak and Hausman–Taylor Panel Data ModelsThis paper shows that the classic augmented Mundlak regression yields the between estimator for time-invariant variables. It is well known that the estimates of the time varying variables yield the f...

9 Sept

A paper led by CPR Senior Research Associate Badi Baltagi titled, "Time Invariant Variables in the Mundlak and Hausman–Taylor Panel Data Models" was published in the Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics. Read the paper: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @maxwellsu.bsky.social

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.comPrimary nesting season designations on Conservation Reserve Program lands: Grassland bird breeding phenology and stakeholder perspectivesPrimary nesting season (PNS) dates under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) span the peak breeding of most grassland bird species, but some initiate breeding before and some continue after PNS, i...

1 Sept

A study co-authored by CPR's Rick Welsh finds that Conservation Reserve Program nesting season windows miss some grassland birds, including species of conservation concern, who nest earlier or later than the designated dates. conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @maxwellsu.bsky.social

27 Aug

"The Mundlak Estimator in a Panel Data Model with Serially Correlated Error Component Disturbances" by Badi H. Baltagi and Long Liu was added to the CPR Working Paper Series! Read the paper: surface.syr.edu/cpr/535/

surface.syr.eduDo Nonprofit Ratings Help Donors Make Better Decisions?Nonprofit organizations depend on donations to fulfill their missions, but donors choosing among 1.8 million U.S. public charities often lack the time or capacity to evaluate which organizations are a...

26 Aug

Platinum-rated nonprofits receive 34% more in donations than unrated ones, even though GuideStar seals are not based on verified performance. Many donors rely on rating hierarchies as mental shortcuts, not performance signals. @maxwellsu.bsky.social Learn more: surface.syr.edu/cpr/536/

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

news.syr.eduSyracuse Scholarship Takes the Spotlight Again on ‘The Academic Minute’Five Syracuse faculty share findings on food policy, AI, architecture, political science and marine biology on the nationally broadcast program "Academic Minute."

21 Aug

LISTEN: Maxwell professors @ryan-griffiths.bsky.social and Colleen Heflin, share insights on food policy and American secession on the nationally broadcast program “The Academic Minute.” @supolisci.bsky.social @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

surface.syr.eduCan the Safety Net Support Families Through Childbirth?Childbirth is a life event that often disrupts maternal employment and household earnings just as family expenses increase. In the United States, families do not have access to a national paid parenta...

19 Aug

Household earnings drop ~13% in the year after childbirth. Safety net programs can offset those losses but deliver almost nothing during pregnancy or right after birth, when families need help most. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #CPR policy brief: surface.syr.edu/cpr/534/

6 Aug

27 July

"An Introduction to the China Land Sales Data Set: The Universe of Land-Use-Right Transfers in China 2000-2022" by CPR Senior Research Associate Yilin Hou, Lin Li, and Qiang Ren was added to the CPR Working Paper Series. Read the paper: surface.syr.edu/cpr/532/

22 July

A new article co-authored by Rick Welsh examines how organic dairy farmers, dairy nutritionists, and academic literature perceive algae feed supplements for dairy cows. Read more in Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: www.cambridge.org/core/journal... @maxwellsu.bsky.social

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

healthaffairs.orgStates Should Add The Six-Item Food Security Module To The BRFSS

15 July

Professor Colleen Heflin and co-author urge states to measure food insecurity themselves using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey along with the USDA six-item food security module. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social

maxwell.syr.eduLaura-Anne Minkoff-Zern’s ‘Will Work for Food’ Wins ASFS Book AwardLaura-Anne Minkoff-Zern’s ‘Will Work for Food’ Wins ASFS Book Award

14 July

Congrats to CPR Senior Research Associate Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, whose co-authored book, Will Work for Food, received the ASFS Book Award! This award recognizes outstanding books about food published within the two previous calendar years. Learn more: www.maxwell.syr.edu/news/article...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

newsweek.comSNAP improper payments top $10 billion despite Trump's anti-waste pushThe USDA said improper SNAP payments - both under and over payments - accumulated to more than $10 billion nationwide in fiscal year 2025.

2 July

Prof. Colleen Heflin says it's important to note that “since a large portion of these errors are outside the control of the agencies [they have to work with the info that clients provide], it will be difficult to bring down these errors without needlessly burdening all SNAP recipients.”

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

bit.lyChinese universities are cutting language majors to make way for AIUniversities are dropping programs in translation and foreign languages while adding degrees in embodied intelligence, AI, and robotics.

30 June

“[China’s] advantage is speed and scale in cultivating talent in specific fields. The risk is overcorrection and overcrowding: Some fields may be undervalued before their long-term importance is fully understood,” says Professor Yingyi Ma. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

maxwell.syr.eduRick Welsh to Lead Agriculture, Food, & Human Values SocietyThe Maxwell sociologist recently began his term leading the international organization focused on the study of food, agriculture and health.

29 June

Congratulations to CPR Senior Research Associate Rick Welsh, who has been elected to serve a three-year term on the Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society's Executive Committee, beginning in the position of President-Elect! Learn more: www.maxwell.syr.edu/news/article...

onlinelibrary.wiley.comHow Does SNAP Access Prior to Pregnancy Affect Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes?Policy Points Reimposing work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—by removing temporary, location-based waivers—causes a decline in food assistance participation among ...

25 June

Exposure to reintroduced SNAP work requirements is linked to a 14% increase in very low birth weight and a 10% rise in very preterm births among first-time mothers. Learn more in this article by Sarah Hamersma and Mitch McFarlane: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @maxwellsu.bsky.social

stateline.orgTrump changes pregnancy-prevention program to promote childbearing • StatelineA federal poverty-fighting program focused on reducing unintended pregnancies is about to undergo a major overhaul. Reproductive health clinics use Title X federal grant money to provide birth control...

24 June

“When you’re trying to take away the funding for someone who doesn’t want to have a child, that’s not the same as providing funding to support someone who does,” says CPR Senior Research Associate Leonard Lopoo in @stateline.org. Learn more: stateline.org/2026/06/18/t...

surface.syr.eduHow Shale Boom-Era Municipal Debt Could Undermine Community Resilience During the Energy TransitionLocal governments in oil and gas-producing regions took on significant municipal debt during the U.S. shale boom to build schools, water systems, and other infrastructure to accommodate rapid populati...

17 June

Shale boom communities took on 26% more municipal debt than their peers. As the energy transition unfolds, that debt could become a long-term burden for the residents who stay. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #CPR policy brief: surface.syr.edu/cpr/530/

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

arcmag.orgFertility Treatments Should Not Be a Luxury Good | ARC: Religion, Politics, Et CeteraRecently, while I was having dinner with friends, one asked me about the topic of the book I was writing at the time. I explained that I was focusing on the inequities in our current family-planning p...

15 June

“The United States does and should continue to legislate to support family planning, but its policies should be reconsidered and designed to increase wantedness,” says Professor Len Lopoo. Read an excerpt from his new book “Wanting Children.” @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

NBER

@nber.org

9 June

Estimating the causal effect of height on adolescents’ body image, encompassing self-perceptions of weight, the accuracy of those perceptions, and weight-management aspirations, from Monica Deza, Neiva J. Fortes, and Maria Zhu www.nber.org/papers/w35293

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

abcnews.comWhat we know about the spread of Ebola amid growing outbreak in DRCA deadly Ebola outbreak is continuing to spread across the Democratic Republic of the Congo with global health officials warning "we're still behind."

8 June

Because there's a lot of stigma around Ebola, Professor and infectious disease expert Brittany Kmush says “It's going to be very difficult to get all the contacts identified and followed properly, especially since the international aid community is really short on resources.” @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

8 June

CPR Senior Research Associates @johncawley.bsky.social and Monica Deza are both presenting their research today at #ASHEcon2026! Check out their sessions on the new tax on sugary beverages in Santa Cruz, CA, and public safety system vulnerability. @maxwellsu.bsky.social @ashecon.bsky.social

4 June

Hurricane Harvey led to a 1.5% decline in assessed property values in Harris County, TX, averaging $4,927 per property and a $2.6 billion reduction in the local tax base. Learn more in this study co-authored by CPR Senior Research Associate Yilin Hou: doi.org/10.1016/j.jh... @maxwellsu.bsky.social

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

maxwell.syr.eduMaxwell Sociologist Named Visiting Scholar at Russell Sage FoundationMaxwell Sociologist Named Visiting Scholar at Russell Sage Foundation

2 June

Sociologist Gabriela Kirk-Werner has been named a 2026-27 visiting scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation, one of the nation's most selective social science fellowship programs. She examines how alternatives to incarceration shape the lives of the people assigned to them. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

asanet.orgJennifer Karas Montez Named Editor of Journal of Health and Social Behavior | American Sociological AssociationThe American Sociological Association (ASA) has appointed Jennifer Karas Montez, professor of sociology at Syracuse University, as the next editor of the

22 May

Congratulations to CPR Research Affiliate Jennifer Karas Montez on being named the next Editor-in-Chief of the American Sociological Association's Journal of Health and Social Behavior! @maxwellsu.bsky.social www.asanet.org/footnotes-ar...

rollingstone.comHow Worried Should We Be About the Hantavirus Outbreak?A spate of hantavirus cases on an Arctic cruise has left the public scrambling for information on the rare but deadly virus.

21 May

“It’s not good for Americans that there is an outbreak of an infectious disease that we’re not boots-on-the-ground going to because it makes us less safe,” says CPR Senior Research Associate David Larsen in @rollingstone.com. www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

time.comHow A.I. Was the Elephant in the Room at the Trump-Xi SummitA.I. did not center in Trump-Xi talks as much as some observers expected, but it nevertheless remains an undercurrent in key geopolitical issues between the U.S. and China.

18 May

“An opening chapter of an AI cold war is emerging,” Professor of Sociology Yingyi Ma wrote in a @brookings.edu piece ahead of the Trump-XI summit. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

maxwell.syr.eduIn Science, Research Links Genetic Variations in Virus from Wastewater with Community TransmissionNew findings have wide-ranging implications for improvements in the detection and monitoring of a host of communicable diseases. 

14 May

New in @science.org: Maxwell's Dustin Hill and @dalarsen.bsky.social show genetic diversity of COVID-19 in wastewater linked to infection levels, opening the door to estimating transmission rates from sequencing data. Findings apply to flu, measles, polio and more. 🔬

maxwell.syr.eduClimate Researcher Ethan Coffel Receives Moynihan Award for Teaching and ResearchThe assistant professor of geography and the environment will speak at the Maxwell School Graduate Convocation on Friday, May 8.

13 May

Congratulations to CPR Research Affiliate Ethan Coffel, who received the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Award for Teaching and Research! This award is the school's highest honor for untenured faculty. Learn more: www.maxwell.syr.edu/news/article...

8 May

Wrapping up #PAA2026! Tomorrow at 11:30am, CPR's @iliyagutin.bsky.social will be chairing and Colleen Heflin will be presenting in the State Policies and Demographic Outcomes session. Check out their work! @maxwellsu.bsky.social @popassocamerica.bsky.social

8 May

Tomorrow morning at #PAA2026! CPR Research Affiliates Jennifer Karas Montez, @iliyagutin.bsky.social, and @smonnat.bsky.social are presenting their work, "U.S. State Policy Index for Population Health Analyses." Check out their session! @maxwellsu.bsky.social @popassocamerica.bsky.social

8 May

Today at #PAA2026! CPR Research Affiliate Emily Wiemers and CPR Senior Research Associate Colleen Heflin will be presenting their work on frontline worker time use and food insecurity among older adults. Check out their sessions below! @popassocamerica.bsky.social @maxwellsu.bsky.social

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

wsj.comMore Than Three Million People Have Lost Federal Food AidThe number of food-stamp recipients is dropping sharply as states start implementing new Trump administration rules on who qualifies for SNAP benefits.

6 May

“These large state drops in SNAP caseloads represent a fundamental restructuring of the food-assistance safety net. We should expect to see a surge in food insecurity and its related negative consequences at new levels,” says Prof. Colleen Heflin. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

7 May

Day 1 at #PAA2026! Several CPR faculty and graduate students are participating as presenters and discussants on population health, education, and policymaking topics. Check out today's sessions! @maxwellsu.bsky.social @popassocamerica.bsky.social

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

scientificamerican.comYoung adult suicide rates dropped after U.S. launched 988 hotlineThe states with the greatest increases in 988 crisis hotline use since 2022 experienced the greatest decrease in suicide mortality, but the hotline alone may not explain the drop

28 Apr

“I see 988 as a promising and important part of the mental health support system, with real potential to expand its impact over time,” says mental health policy expert and associate professor Michiko Ueda-Ballmer. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

mental.jmir.orgHelp-Seeking in the Age of AI: Cross-Sectional Survey of the Use and Perceptions of AI-Based Mental Health Support Among US AdultsBackground: Anecdotal evidence suggests that an increasing number of people are turning to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools or artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted chatbots to discuss...

22 Apr

More than 1 in 3 US adults use AI tools weekly for mental health support. A study by Michiko Ueda-Ballmer found nearly 30% of those who had previously seen a therapist reported fewer visits after starting to use AI for the same purpose. @maxwellsu.bsky.social mental.jmir.org/2026/1/e88196/

sciencedirect.comUnder the same umbrella: Public health insurance expansions and the uniformity of insurance for familiesEvaluating insurance coverage at the individual level abstracts away from the family-level decision-making behind healthcare utilization. While tradit…

16 Apr

An article led by CPR Senior Research Associate Sarah Hamersma titled, "Under the Same Umbrella: Public Health Insurance Expansions and the Uniformity of Insurance for Families" was published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

sciencedirect.comDifferences in COVID-19 experiences between U.S. working age adults with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderDifferences in COVID-19 infection and clinical outcomes between adults with and without ADHD are well documented. Less is known about disparities in t…

8 Apr

Adults with #ADHD reported worse #COVID19 experiences than adults without ADHD. Learn more in this study by Nastassia Vaitsiakhovich, CPR Director @smonnat.bsky.social, CPR Research Affiliate Andrew London, and Scott Landes. @maxwellsu.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

Syracuse University Lerner Center

@sulernercenter.bsky.social

7 Apr

Unintended home births (i.e., those without planning or medical support) carry high risk of adverse outcomes. Rates of unintended home births are 6–8% among White women but 33–61% among Black women, depending on region and metro status. @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner surface.syr.edu/lerner/295/

surface.syr.eduIs Home Birth a Choice? Racial and Geographic Differences in Unintended Home Births in the U.S.Home births that happen without planning or medical support (i.e., unintended home births) carry a higher likelihood of adverse outcomes, such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and hypothermia. This...

Syracuse University Center for Policy Research reposted

7 Apr

Maxwell is #1 again! 🏆 Top-ranked in public affairs by U.S. News, with excellence across 10 subspecialty areas. A proud moment for a community dedicated to public service. #BestGradSchools ➡️ Read more: https://bit.ly/3PT3uXO