Congrats to Weidenbaum Center Speaker and Associate Professor of Sociology Liz Chiarello for being selected as a 2026–27 Member in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. Liz will be in residence at Princeton for the upcoming academic year.
When fewer rural residents have access to jobs with employer-sponsored insurance, public programs like Medicaid become an even more important source of coverage.
Shin says employees often need time set aside by their bosses to experiment with tools or formalized AI training.
The Weidenbaum Center is a research institute at Washington University in St. Louis that supports social scientific research in the fields of public policy, economics, political science, and sociology. Led by Weidenbaum Center Director Andrew Reeves (pictured), the Center funds faculty research, provides administrative support for research activities, and sponsors a wide range of public affairs programs. In doing so, the Center serves as a bridge between scholars, policymakers, and the general public.
Through unbiased empirical research and events, the Center addresses many of the pressing public policy issues facing America and the world today.
The Weidenbaum Center provides significant research support for faculty in the departments of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. This support allows a wide array of faculty members to participate in a variety of impactful research, and is of particular importance to our younger faculty who are just starting their research careers. Research efforts contribute to work that addresses key social issues locally, nationally, and globally, and enhances the prominence of Washington University in the academic and policy world. Donations fund our grant programs which support this research. We could not support nearly as much research without this generosity.
Moderated by Sandro Galea (pictured left), Dean of the Washington University School of Public Health, this panel discussion featured Lanhee Chen of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Melanie Fontes Rainer of L.A. Care Health Plan, and Timothy McBride of the Washington University School of Public Health. The panel tackled critical issues including the rising cost of coverage and care, persistent insurance gaps in rural and underserved communities, and inequities driven by income, race, and geography. Despite ideological differences, the conversation highlighted shared priorities: lowering costs, expanding access, and strengthening accountability. Panelists pointed to pragmatic, bipartisan reforms—such as improving telehealth reimbursement, restructuring Medicare Advantage plans, and increasing competition in the health care system—as realistic paths forward. The event was cosponsored by the Washington University School of Public Health. Watch the full program on the Weidenbaum Center’s YouTube channel.
Pulitzer Center grantee and award-winning journalist Simón Ríos delivered a sharp, illuminating talk on the challenges covering immigration in Greater Boston. As a bilingual reporter for WBUR, Boston’s NPR station, he examines the forces shaping the region—immigration, shifting demographics, and inequality. Ríos stressed the need for nuance in immigration reporting and the responsibility to tell stories that truly matter. Drawing on his own reporting, he shared video footage from body cameras, cell phones, and scenes involving narratives with ICE and police, inviting audience feedback on how such material is interpreted. He also underscored the value of using data from a wide range of sources, arguing that strong journalism equips audiences with facts—not conclusions—so they can decide for themselves. This event was presented as part of the Campus Consortium partnership between the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the Weidenbaum Center
Data from the Weidenbaum Center Survey (Waves 6-8; May 2025, October 2025, and February-March 2026) reveal how much Americans trust political institutions and whether that trust diverges across partisanship, region, and employment status.
Winners of the award demonstrate advanced pedagogical skills, develop innovative materials and lessons, and/or refine feedback mechanisms that have significant impacts on student learning and engagement.
We’re deeply grateful for your support (pictured: supporter Marvin Anderson (left) with Weidenbaum Center Grant Recipient Professor Matthew Gabel). Your generosity powers our mission to connect scholars, policymakers, and the public—and directly fuels our programs, events, and faculty research. Because of you, our impact continues to grow across the university and beyond. Thank you for being an essential part of this work—we couldn’t do it without you!
Award-winning journalist and Pulitzer Center Grantee Simón Ríos talking to attendees after Immigration event
Immigration event speaker Simón Ríos giving presentation
Weienbaum Center Advisory Board member Chris Floyd asking question during Healthcare Forum Q&A session
Healthcare Forum panelists Melanie Fontes Rainer and Timothy McBride. Rainer is a Weidenbaum Center Senior Fellow and McBride is a Weidenbaum Center Faculty Research Fellow.
Gifts of any amount are greatly appreciated and allow us to fund groundbreaking faculty and student research, provide support for our prolific grant work, and host a diverse array of public affairs programs. To make a contribution to the Center, please click the donate button below. Contact Patrick Morris (p.morris@wustl.edu) or Michelle Gelven (gelven@wustl.edu) for more information.
