Helping Leaders Make Better Decisions

Center for Policy Research

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At the Center for Policy Research (CPR), experts from diverse fields explore policy issues through a range of different disciplinary lenses—primarily economics, public administration, political science and sociology.

Our community includes faculty, research staff and students who conduct and support research on pressing problems related to education, labor, health, social welfare, the environment and more. Our goal is to develop knowledge that enables leaders to break through complexity in order to make meaningful policy decisions and provide effective solutions.

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faculty experts on a range of disciplines

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graduate students conducting research to address pressing issues

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research areas connect faculty across departments and disciplines

Featured Event

AI Will Change Everything Except What Matters Most

Dr. Hassan A. Tetteh is a retired U.S. Navy captain and associate professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and adjunct faculty at Howard University College of Medicine.

October 16, 2025

Featured Research

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Policy Recommendations to Reduce Old Age Food Insecurity in the United States

Colleen M. Heflin and Madonna Harrington Meyer

The current policy responses to old age food insecurity are complex, costly, and not nearly effective enough. Based on the book, Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adults Food Insecurity, this brief summarizes five policy recommendations to improve food insecurity among U.S. older adults. 

September 2025 | Download Brief

Self-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Illicit Drug Use and Prescription Medication Misuse Among U.S. Working-Age Adults

Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel, Joshua Grove, Iliya Gutin, Shannon M. Monnat

The study, co-authored by Maxwell sociologists Andrew London and Shannon Monnat along with Ph.D. student Joshua Grove and Research Assistant Professor Iliya Gutin, was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.

August 2025

Why Are Food System Workers Excluded from Local Food Policy Councils?

Frank Sarfo, Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern and Jonnell A Robinson

This brief summarizes findings from a study that examined the challenges and barriers that have limited FPCs’ engagement with labor issues. The authors find that internal tensions, limited capacity, and weak ties to labor groups hinder FPC engagement in food labor advocacy.

August 2025 | Download Brief

CPR Research Areas

Faculty in the Center for Policy Research (CPR) conduct a broad range of interdisciplinary research related to public policy in the following research areas:

  • Education and Labor
  • Population Health
  • Social Policy and Inequality
  • Econometrics
  • Energy, Environment and Food Systems
  • Public Finance
  • Urban, Rural and Regional Studies
See Research Areas
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Center for Policy Design and Governance

Integrating policy, political and computational sciences in research and instruction to help scientists, practitioners and future public service leaders understand and address future governance challenges.

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Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health

Promoting population health research, education and advocacy and community health promotion programming.
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Maxwell X Lab

Partnering with the public and nonprofit sectors, the X Lab leverages behavioral science and randomized controlled trials to create cost-effective solutions to complex problems.

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CPR/Metro Alumni

The center serves students, graduates and faculty for a lifetime and it's our pleasure to spread the word about the wonderful things going on in CPR and throughout the Maxwell School.

Alums—update us on what you’ve been up to, where you are employed and how your time in CPR impacted your life by filling out our Alumni Update form. We will gladly share your stories in our Connection Newsletter, a publication that shares news about the Center’s students, faculty, staff and alumni. Join us for the events and activities we have throughout the year and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Commentary
Shannon Monnat

Nov 26, 2025

Monnat Featured in Newsweek Article on Rural America’s Optimism About the Country’s Future

Federal, Rural Issues, United States

Commentary
Yingyi Ma

Nov 20, 2025

Yingyi Ma Speaks with South China Morning Post on Drop in Number of Chinese Students in the US

China, Federal, International Affairs, U.S. Education, United States

Commentary
Colleen Heflin

Nov 4, 2025

Heflin Discusses SNAP Funding With ABC News, Newsweek, PolitiFact and USA Today

Federal, Food Security, Nutrition, United States

Research
Michiko Ueda

Nov 3, 2025

Suicide Deaths Among Informal Caregivers in an Aging Society

Aging, Child & Elder Care, East Asia, Longevity

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Center for Policy Research
426 Eggers Hall
cpr@syr.edu
315.443.3114