Belief, Behavior, and Health: Religion as a Social Determinant of Health
Sandra D. Lane, professor emerita of public health, has written Belief, Behavior, and Health: Religion as a Social Determinant of Health (Routledge, 2025). The book details how religious beliefs across cultures impact health outcomes. It draws from research from the United States as well as Africa and the Middle East.
APPAM Policy Camp Draws Aspiring Public Servants to Learn More About Public Affairs
Undergraduates and recent alumni interested in public service spent a day at the Maxwell School attending sessions, discussing policymaking processes and growing their network.
See related: Alumni Experience, Student Experience
At 27, Maxwell Alumna Is Long Island’s Youngest Village Clerk
Katherine Hannon ’20 B.A. (PSc) got started as an intern assisting the mayor with special projects.
See related: Alumni Experience, New York State, State & Local, Student Experience
Maxwell X Lab Receives Journal’s Best Paper Award for Chicago Study
The Journal of Behavioral Public Administration honored the researchers for their paper detailing findings in a study of at-home lead testing kit return rates.
See related: Alumni Experience, Awards & Honors, Government, Grant Awards, Infrastructure, Research Methods
Dynamic Sustainability Lab Collaborates With Thomson Reuters to Build Expertise and Opportunity
The relationship began as a study of forced labor in global supply chains by Heather Panton, a Thomson Reuters executive and Maxwell graduate student.
See related: Alumni Experience, Labor, Student Experience, Sustainability, Trade
Reflections of a Space Pioneer
After a screening of the documentary about her historic time as an astronaut, alumna Eileen Collins joined Sean O’Keefe for a conversation about her experiences and space exploration.
See related: Alumni Experience
In Memoriam: Edwin Bock
Bock, professor emeritus of political science and public administration and international affairs, taught at Maxwell for more than 30 years. He died on July 28, 2025, in Syracuse. He was 103.
See related: In Memoriam
PhD Candidates’ Work Recognized by American Political Science Association
Jingding Wang, Hannah Radner and Nicholas D’Amico were honored in recognition of their research on citizenship, government and politics.
In Memoriam: George Marotta
Marotta ’50 B.A. (PSc)/’51 M.P.A. is considered an architect of the Peace Corps, established by the U.S. government in 1961 to assist developing countries by providing skilled workers in fields such as education, health, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment and community development. He died July 26 at the age of 98 in Palo Alto, California.
See related: In Memoriam
Brynt Parmeter Joins Maxwell as Phanstiel Chair in Leadership
The decorated U.S. Army veteran and former Department of Defense executive brings deep expertise in leadership, workforce transformation and innovation.
See related: Promotions & Appointments
How Commerce Became Legal: Merchants and Market Governance in Nineteenth-Century Egypt
Omar Cheta, assistant professor of history, has written How Commerce Became Legal: Merchants and Market Governance in Nineteenth-Century Egypt (Stanford University Press, 2025). The book explores Egypt’s adoption of a new infrastructure of commercial laws and institutions following the country’s opening to private capital in the 1840s.
See related: Economic Policy, Labor, Middle East & North Africa, Trade
Failure. Russia Under Putin
Brian Taylor, professor of political science, contributed a chapter to the recently published book Failure. Russia Under Putin (Bloomsbury, 2025). He is one of multiple authors who share their views on Russia’s failures under the leadership of Vladimir Putin.
See related: International Affairs, Russia, United States
How Maxwell Alum Chris Meek Honors the Victims and Survivors of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Inspired by the bravery of the first responders, Meek dedicated his life to giving back to our soldiers and to preserving the memory of those who died that day. He launched the 9/11 Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to educate, commemorate and inspire action by telling the stories of the survivors, first responders and the families of those lost.
See related: Alumni Experience
Maxwell Partners With VA Medical Center, Instacart to Bring Healthy Food to Local Veterans
With a grant-funded study, Colleen Heflin and the Maxwell X Lab are hoping to determine whether greater access to nutritious food leads to health improvements over time.
See related: Food Security, Grant Awards, Health Policy, Longevity, New York State, Nutrition, Student Experience
Bosnian Fluxes, Belonging, Caring, and Reckoning in a Post-Cold War Semiperiphery
Azra Hromadžić, professor and undergraduate director for anthropology, has contributed to a recently published book, Bosnian Fluxes: Belonging, Caring, and Reckoning in a Post-Cold War Semiperiphery (Routledge, 2025).
See related: Europe
Student Veteran Anthony Ruscitto Honored as a Tillman Scholar
Ruscitto ’23 M.P.A. is a two-time Syracuse graduate and a rising second-year law student in the College of Law. When he graduates, he plans to provide legal aid to his fellow veterans. Ruscitto’s passion for service and helping veterans is one of the reasons he was recently recognized as a 2025 Tillman Scholar by the Pat Tillman Foundation.
See related: Academic Scholarships, Alumni Experience
Baobao Zhang Awarded NSF CAREER Grant to Study Generative AI in the Workplace
$567,491 from the National Science Foundation will support groundbreaking work on how generative AI is reshaping productivity, satisfaction and skill development.
See related: Autonomous Systems, Awards & Honors, Labor, United States
New CCE Office and Programming Aims to Fuel Engagement for More Students
This fall, the Maxwell School is opening a new Civic and Community Engagement (CCE) Office that will enhance and expand access to experiential learning across the school. In addition to classes and community involvement opportunities, the office will oversee a new CCE minor.
See related: School History, Student Experience
Maxwell School Announces Faculty Promotions for 2025-26
See related: Promotions & Appointments
Heartfelt Gift Recognizes Accomplished Alumna and Three Generations of Orange
William Pelton and Mary Jane Massie have created the Barringer Pelton Public Service Graduate Scholarship to honor their niece, Jody Barringer ’08 M.P.A., and support future public servants.
See related: Academic Scholarships, Alumni Experience, Giving, Student Experience