Policy School Research Spotlight

GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT

Summer Jobs Pay Big Dividends for Teens and Society

"Wildly impactful" is how Prof. Alicia Modestino describes the Summer Youth Employment Program, which Northeastern’s Community to Community Impact Engine has evaluated in partnership with the city of Boston. "Thanks to our incredible research partners at Northeastern University we have the numbers and we know what works," says Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

Building More Equitable Ways to Address Climate Change in Boston

"City authorities and outsiders alike have pointed to Boston as a paradigm of a progressive city as one of the first cities with a 2020 Green New Deal focused on climate adaptation," says Prof. Daniel Aldrich. "Yet critics have argued that a variety of climate adaptation and green infrastructure projects deprioritize the needs of racial and ethnic minorities."

THE FUTURE IS NOT PLASTICS

In Search of an International Agreement on Plastics Pollution

"From microplastics in our food and water to the Pacific garbage patch in the ocean, plastic pollution demands urgent action," says Policy School Director Maria Ivanova. "At the recent negotiations for a new international treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, Northeastern's delegation showcased how interdisciplinary research can drive actionable insights. From moderating policy discussions to highlighting the role of art for action, we continue to build and strengthen connections to address environmental challenges at all levels."

EARLY EDUCATOR INTERVENTION

Shoring up the Fragmented Child-Care 'System'

"Child care is having an unprecedented moment in the United States," says Prof. Kim Lucas. "There is a growing appetite to use a wider range of public-policy tools to address the multitude of issues in the child-care sector."

BINDING US WITH SCIENCE

How to Invest the Public in Scientific Research

"Involving the public in research via citizen science, community science, crowdsourcing, and public engagement in science," says Prof. Damon Hall, "provides data useful to scientists and an experience meaningful to the participants."

NOT JUST A BOX OF FOOD

The Resilient Legacy of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

"If you took SNAP away, the entire social safety net would crumble under its own weight," says Prof. Christopher Bosso. "That we as a country provide this benefit that enables people to have a decent diet — the essential basis for decent life — that’s something to be thankful for."

Northeastern University

School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs