UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy

Talk Policy To Me is back! This podcast is produced by a student team from the Goldman School and UC Berkeley's School of Journalism. Season Six is coming your way, so make sure you subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!

🚨 New Series Alert! 🚨

As we gear up for the general election, we're thrilled to launch "Five Questions for Faculty." 🗳️ First up, the one and only Professor Robert Reich dives into the roots of political polarization and offers insights on bridging the divide.

Don’t miss out—read the full interview now! 👇

🔗

Goldman School of Public Policy | University of California, Berkeley

The conversation continues! Join the Possibility Lab on August 27 for an insightful discussion about how on-going collaboration with university researchers can improve evaluation and decision-making in state government. This is an in-person event at the UC Center Sacramento in the Atkinson Room, 1115 11th Street, Sacramento, starting at 12 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Register: bit.ly/UCconvo

In the two years after Donald Trump's 2016 election, there was a significant increase in premature and underweight births among non-white women in the U.S., a new UC Berkeley study finds.

"That thousands of infants may have been healthier had the election not occurred is incredibly troubling," said Caitlin Patler, associate professor at UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy.

Published in the journal Demography, the study highlights the likely impact of stress and policy changes on these adverse health outcomes. The research, led by Paola D. Langer, shows that the increase was particularly pronounced among Black mothers.

"Elections matter to health in enduring ways," said Langer. "Our results show a link between the two years after Trump’s election and an increase in adverse birth outcomes among non-white groups in the U.S. that is likely explained by a combination of stress and policy impacts."

The findings underscore the profound and lasting effects of political events on public health.

Read more about this important study and its implications for health equity: https://goldman.school/pjb

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟

We are thrilled to announce that is a sponsor for our upcoming GSPP Annual Conference and Alumni Gathering! 🎉 Their generous support will help us bring together experts, policymakers, and leaders to discuss and shape the future of public policy. Check out their latest episode of Break Fake Rules featuring leading antiracist scholar and director of , Dr. , and CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, Marcus Walton: https://break-fake-rules.captivate.fm/listen

Join us this September as we explore critical topics, including AI and democracy, with keynotes from distinguished speakers like Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of California’s Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency.

Stay tuned for more updates and get ready for an inspiring event! Register here: https://goldman.school/z9m

Read Dean Wilson's thoughts in UC Berkeley's piece on Biden exiting the election:

"VP Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee will likely raise a number of both legitimate and offending questions and activate stereotypes that distract from the importance of the moment."

Shifting from Biden to Harris, Democrats reset the race. But scholars see risks. - Berkeley News UC Berkeley scholars say President Joe Biden’s departure from the race could expand Democrats’ base. But the outcome may turn on whether they can craft a message that will ease race and gender tensions and galvanize young voters.

The Goldman School of Public Policy is excited to announce that our new Democracy Policy Initiative (DPI) will be a highlight of this year’s Berkeley Public Policy Conference and Alumni Gathering. 🌟

In these challenging times of hyperpolarization, political violence, and attacks on democratic norms, GSPP launched the DPI to develop leadership, strategies, and solutions for a flourishing, multi-racial democracy.

Join us on Friday, Sept 13 for a DPI-focused lunchtime panel. Hear from Dean David Wilson, Angela Glover Blackwell, Jake Grumbach, Amy Lerman, and Ian Bassin on this exciting new initiative and what's ahead. Register now: https://goldman.school/z9m

We are excited to announce that Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of California’s Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency, will be the keynote speaker at our annual conference! 🌟 This is a fantastic opportunity to hear from a leading voice in policy and leadership. Join us for an engaging and inspiring event. Don't miss out! Register today: https://goldman.school/z9m

New article on the uncertain future of ! GSPP’s says ending DACA would be "catastrophic not just for hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients but also their families, schools, workplaces, communities, & the economy." goldman.school/rtg

How the fate of Dreamers became a nightmare DACA is being slowly killed in courts. Legislation seems impossible. What happened?

📰 Study by Dean David C. Wilson reveals racial resentment, not just partisan politics, is a key factor in opinions on the Jan 6 Capitol insurrection. Read more on how racial dynamics influence our political landscape: goldman.school/yiq

Racial resentment fueled Jan. 6 rebellion and opposition to House probe, scholars find - Berkeley News New research suggests that for some white Americans, "Stop the Steal" refers not just to perceived voter fraud, but to their own loss of status in a more diverse society.

A big welcome to our new class of Masters of Public Affairs students! We are so thrilled to have you on campus. !

Congratulations to Giancarlo Gonzales and the rest of the MPA 2024 graduating class🎓. You are how a better future gets made.
We’ll see you all at this Sunday’s commencement!

Livestream the commencement, 5/19 9am PT: https://youtu.be/Bo-2x6yVZK4

Recently Erin Heys, policy director and senior researcher for the Berkeley Institute for Young Americans (BIFYA,) spoke with KQED about the issues that young voters care about in the 2024 election.
Listen to the podcast:
https://www.kqed.org/news/11983971/voters-under-35-have-a-lot-at-stake-in-november-heres-what-theyre-thinking-about

Voters Under 35 Have A Lot At Stake in November. Here’s What They’re Thinking About | KQED As part of KQED's Youth Takeover, we hear from young voters about the issues they care about most ahead of a presidential election.

Congratulations to Rinat Fried, MPP '05, on being awarded the California State Classified Employee of the Year by the California Department of Education in the Technical Services Division! From the press release, "Rinat Fried...has given the Oakland Unified School District invaluable tools in understanding data at the individual student, classroom, and grade levels as well as understanding school, network, and district data over time."

Rinat Fried is how a better future gets made!


Read the full press release: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr24/yr24rel24a.asp

“I grew up a youth at-risk. As someone who is formerly incarcerated, I understand the barriers those individuals face in academic and professional spheres. I returned to school to create change and opportunity for youth who are growing up under similar circumstances.” - Danny Muñoz, MPP ’25

Danny Muñoz is how a better future gets made.

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is a two-year, full-time, in-person program that trains students on the practical and applied dimensions of policy-making and implementation. The program is designed to give students the tools for effective leadership in government, advocacy, and the non-profit and private sector.
Learn more: https://goldman.school/mpp

Applications are now being accepted to be a part of the 2024-25 Energy and Environmental Economics Undergraduate Mentorship Program!

The Energy Institute at Haas (EI) and the Opportunity Lab (O-Lab) are excited to invite interested undergraduates to apply to participate in a full-year program of research training and mentoring on topics related to energy and environmental economics. The Energy and Environmental Economics Mentorship Program, under faculty leadership from Professors Meredith Fowlie and Reed Walker, seeks to grow and diversify the undergraduate community considering research careers in energy and environmental economics.

Selected participants will work closely with top-tier PhD students on an active research project, receive one-on-one mentoring, acquire quantitative skills, and be a part of a research community focused on addressing critical and timely research questions confronting the US and the world. In addition, participants will receive $500 stipends each semester and 2-3 independent study course credits per semester.

No prior research experience is needed. We strongly encourage first generation students, transfer students and other students historically underrepresented in economics to apply.
The application deadline is August 26th.
Apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe8Z_PqxmmfB-LA_XlzRw1W8116_4a1krDfPyxLv2LmbtLQJw/viewform

“The best advice I could give a student interested in minoring in public policy is to ensure you at least attend office hours with any professor within the department. Office hours are essential because while you engage with professors you gain a well-rounded perspective on policy, drawing from their areas of expertise and experiences. These conversations are so valuable, they helped me decide if public policy truly aligned with my academic interests.” - Gabriela Sandoval, ’24 Public Policy minor

Goldman School faculty and staff celebrated the end of the school year with a luncheon at Comal. With food, fun, and friendship, we took some time to recognize the many amazing accomplishments we’ve made this past year including the achievements of current faculty, our research centers, and the welcoming of new faculty. We also announced the SPOT Awards recipients to highlight our outstanding staff. And finally, we gave special thanks to our student workers who help out in ways too numerous to count. With commencement just around the corner, we’re looking forward to closing out another successful year at the Goldman School!

Through the Master of Public Affairs (MPA) mentorship program, Mary Cate was paired as Anjali’s mentor in the late summer of 2023. At MIT, Mary Cate serves as the curriculum design project manager for the Scheller Teacher Education Program (STEP) Lab and is also involved in MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) Initiative where she designs project-based learning curriculum to teach K-12 students about artificial intelligence called Responsible AI for Computational Action (RAICA).

In 2014, Anjali switched from a career in chemical engineering to education impact after participating in that year’s Teach for India Fellowship. With 10 years of experience in the education sector in India and in other low- and middle-income country contexts, she intends to level up her career and expertise through the MPA program to further effect change internationally.

Reflecting on their match up, Mary Cate shares, “Anjali and I have very complementary skills and experience in K-12 AI education. Together we scoped and proposed a capstone project to the MIT RAISE Initiative to create a framework for teachers and school administrators to evaluate the safety of generative AI tools in the classroom. I’m so pleased that I was able to connect Anjali’s capstone project to my current work.”

Meanwhile, as a takeaway from the mentorship program, Anjali offers, “As an international student, it was important for me to connect with alumni who were working in fields that were aligned to my interests and who could offer pathways to success in my career. From this experience, I’ve learned to become more confident in showcasing my abilities to add value to the projects that I work on.”

Although this MPA mentorship program cycle officially wraps with Anjali’s commencement this spring, Mary Cate and Anjali will remain connected through their network and as GSPP alumni.

“The diverse backgrounds and professional experiences of each member in the Master of Public Affairs cohort, originating from various countries worldwide, gives you the opportunity to gain valuable and extraordinary knowledge from them, which serve as rich nutrients for personal growth and development.” - Fu Yang Peng, MPA 2024

The Master of Public Affairs is a one-year program designed to elevate mid-career professionals in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to greater leadership and policy-focused roles in their career and communities.
Learn more about the MPA program:
https://goldman.school/mpa

The Tech Policy Fellowship deadline has been extended to May 31, 2024. The UC Berkeley Tech Policy Fellows program offers scholars and practitioners the opportunity to spend one year as a non-residential fellow at UC Berkeley to conduct research, share expertise, and develop technical or policy interventions that support responsible technology development and use.

More info: https://gspp.berkeley.edu/research-and-impact/policy-initiatives/tech-policy-initiative/tpf-call-2024

CITRIS

Over the last several years in Oakland, the Possibility Lab worked with community groups to conduct an assessment of neighborhood safety factors based on residents’ concerns. With this new data, the Possibility Lab launched the Firsthand Framework for Policy Innovation program with the goal to shape policy that supports healthy neighborhoods. Read the full Berkeley News article by Edward Lempinen:
https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/04/24/in-tough-oakland-neighborhoods-a-bold-project-builds-public-safety-and-hope

In tough Oakland neighborhoods, a bold project builds public safety — and hope The Possibility Lab at UC Berkeley is tapping the expertise of hundreds of residents to learn what helps them feel safe in their everyday lives.

“To succeed at the Goldman School, take advantage of the opportunities here: build good relationships with the GSPP community, participate in school events, utilize all your campus resources, and explore off-campus activities.” - Malvin Napitupulu, MDP ’25

The Master of Development Practice students, faculty, and staff celebrate the end of the school year in style at the Faculty Club.

“From internships to research opportunities, guest speakers to lecturers, the number and quality of opportunities we can access as Goldman School students are incredible. I've been able to take classes from researchers at the top of their field, intern in local government, and gain nonprofit consulting experience within my first two semesters in the Master of Public Policy program.” - Courtney Fong, MPP ’25

The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is a two-year, full-time, in-person program that trains students on the practical and applied dimensions of policy-making and implementation. The program is designed to give students the tools for effective leadership in government, advocacy, and the non-profit and private sector.

Learn more: https://goldman.school/mpp

Congratulations to UC Possibility Lab Executive Director & Principal Investigator Amy E. Lerman (center right) on being honored in April with the prestigious UC Berkeley Chancellor’s Award for Public Service for research in the public interest. This award honors a faculty member addressing critical needs and issues impacting local or broader communities.

“Collaborative research is not about one person so while I appreciate being here, like many of the other honorees, this is a collaborative effort. I would like to thank the countless people who have been involved in this work and make it possible. In particular, the staff at the Goldman School of Public Policy who support the Possibility Lab, and my incredible team at the Possibility Lab who really make all of this work possible,” said Lerman in accepting the award.

Professor Amy Lerman is how a better future gets made.
Learn more about the Possibility Lab: https://possibilitylab.berkeley.edu

“The quality of students is one of the greatest assets of our school. I am glad to have a cohort that fosters an environment where it is easy to learn from each other’s experiences and thrive in the program.” - Carlos Galvan Falcon, MDP ’25