Public Administration and International Affairs Department News, Media Commentary and Research
Public Health Insurance Expansions and the Uniformity of Insurance for Families
Co-authored by Sarah Hamersma, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, the article was published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization.
See related: Health Insurance, Parenting & Family, United States
O’Keefe Discusses the Artemis II Mission With NewsNation and WSYR
“It was a spectacular achievement, and one that really is another step in the long continuum of human exploration of not only here on Earth, but now well into space and moving further out,” says University Professor Emeritus Sean O'Keefe.
See related: Space Exploration, United States
Murrett Speaks With CBS News, The Hill About the Strait of Hormuz Naval Blockade
“I think the next couple of days would be crucial to see what the [Iranian] response is,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs. “It’s going to be a pretty dicey operation, I think it can be carried out, but the next couple of days are critical in terms of how it’s carried forward,” he says.
Maxwell School Proudly Ranks #1 for Public Affairs in 2026
The school also remains highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 10 subspecialties, including the top ranking in Public Management and Leadership.
See related: Awards & Honors
Maxwell Fireside Chat Examines AI’s Role in Government and Higher Education
New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy and Syracuse University Chief Digital Officer Jeff Rubin joined Dean David M. Van Slyke to discuss AI adoption, workforce impact and the future of digital transformation.
Wanting Children: Family-Planning Policies and the Engineering of America’s Population
Leonard M. Lopoo, professor and chair of public administration and international affairs, has written Wanting Children: Family-Planning Policies and the Engineering of America’s Population (University of Chicago Press, 2026). The book traces how America’s first reproductive policies were shaped by eugenicists focused on limiting births among lower-income and minority populations.
See related: Government, Parenting & Family, United States
O’Keefe Speaks With BBC News About the Moon Race As the Artemis Mission Is Set To Launch
University Professor Emeritus Sean O'Keefe says the nations that land on the Moon will have the advantage of exploring and developing the resources that are there. “After all these years of thinking it was nothing more than a dust bowl, we have come to realise it has a significant amount of helium 3,” he says.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Space Exploration, United States
Murrett Quoted in Associated Press Article on the Iran War Deflecting Attention From Ukraine
Washington’s peace efforts are largely on hold while the White House is “totally distracted by Iran,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs. The Kremlin has “never come off (its) maximalist demands” for a settlement, and it would take “overwhelming” Western military and financial support for Ukraine for Putin to back down.
See related: Conflict, Government, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
Herrold Cited in Boston Globe Article on Reviving In-Person Engagement Skills
Catherine Herrold, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, along with Khaldoun AbouAssi from American University, report that locally based supportive groups strengthen the civic skills that sustain free societies.
See related: Non-governmental Organizations, United States
Policy Design Complexity and Policy Outputs: Theory and Methods
The article, co-authored by Saba Siddiki, professor of public administration and international affairs, and Maxwell Ph.D. students Brandon Charles and Nicholas Oesterling, was published in Policy Design and Practice.
See related: Government, Research Methods
A Career Spent Doing Good—and Doing Well
For more than five decades, Bill Coplin challenged students, defied convention and built a program that has changed thousands of lives. Now retired, his legacy lives on—and a new fund helps it ensure it always will.
See related: Giving, School History
Maxwell Student Earns National Public Service Award
Gerome Banks, an online executive MPA student and federal program manager, will be recognized at ASPA’s annual conference in late March.
See related: Alumni Experience, Awards & Honors
Murrett Talks to CBS News and Newsweek About the Iran War
“You do have to look at the economic implications, not just in terms of what it's doing to energy markets, but also our allies—the Gulf states—the tremendous hit that they've taken just as a center of gravity, whether it's tourism, the airlines going through there and also for commerce,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs.
Expert on the Arabian Peninsula Traces Gulf's Past, Present and Uncertain Future in Maxwell Talk
Distinguished Diplomatic Fellow at the Middle East Institute Daniel Benaim offered a sweeping analysis of America's relationship with the Gulf states.
See related: Middle East & North Africa, Student Experience, U.S. Foreign Policy, United States
Williams Discusses Iran’s Denial of a Second Strike on Turkey With DW News
“It's always possible that it could be a rogue missile, however, the Iranians have struck all across the region so rather than isolating their attacks to just U.S. targets and Israeli targets who are conducting the military operations against them, it looks like they've targeted purposefully Turkey as well as all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council,” says Michael Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.
See related: Conflict, Government, International Affairs, Middle East & North Africa, NATO
US State Policy Contexts and Mental Health Among Working-Age Adults
The article, co-authored by Maxwell faculty members Iliya Gutin, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily Wiemers, Shannon Monnat and Douglas Wolf, was published in The Milbank Quarterly.
See related: COVID-19, Mental Health, State & Local, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Stuart Bretschneider Honored With Kooiman Award by Public Management Review
The award honors the best paper published in the academic journal, Public Management Review.
See related: Awards & Honors
Does the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Help Workers? Hamersma Discusses in Wisconsin Watch Article
“They’re [employers] not passing it along to the workers in the form of higher wages. They’re just sort of being like, ‘Awesome, I got more money,’” says Sarah Hamersma, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.
See related: Congress, Economic Policy, Income, Inequality, Labor, United States
Partnership with Hobart and William Smith Creates New Path to Advanced Degrees
HWS undergraduates will be able to begin Maxwell graduate professional degree coursework early, secure priority admission and receive financial assistance.
See related: Academic Scholarships, Student Experience
Maxwell Executive MPA Student Earns Prestigious Cal-ICMA Ethical Hero Award
Christine Cordon, city manager of Westminster, California, has been recognized for ethical leadership in local government.
See related: Awards & Honors, State & Local, Student Experience, United States