Weidenbaum Center February Newsletter

February 2024

Table of Contents

About our Center

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. 

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Profile of Dr. Molly Cline, Co-Chair of the Weidenbaum Center Eliot Society Committee

Dr. Molly Cline has been the co-chair of the Weidenbaum Center Eliot Committee, along with Steve Knight, for the past two years and a member of the Weidenbaum Center for the past 12. Molly founded the annual Weidenbaum Center women's public policy luncheon meeting, now going into its 7th year. Molly has said that she likes being a member of Center because she wants to be an informed citizen in matters on our government, the economy and public policy. Being a scientist, she likes getting information from unbiased sources based on facts and data. Molly is a plant pathologist by her academic training having received her MS and PhD from the University of Illinois, Champaign- Urbana. She spent over 40 years working in plant science and commercial agriculture, 27 of those years at the former Monsanto Company in St. Louis. At Monsanto she had a diverse career path and worked in field product development, technical marketing, the consumer hotline, government and public affairs, and founded the industry affairs function. She travelled the US, Canada, and the world wherever soybeans, canola, and sugarbeets were grown and processed to help those industries build capacity for the introduction of agricultural biotechnology. She retired in 2010 and has enjoyed volunteer leadership since then. She lends her time not only to the Weidenbaum Center, but also to the YWCA Metro St, Louis, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Danforth Plant Science Center and FOCUS St Louis. Molly is a native of Chautauqua County in western NY where she spent her childhood and later her teen years in Kalamazoo, MI. She has been married for 44 years and she and her husband Steven have two adult children and two grandchildren. They have lived in St Louis for 40 years and care deeply about its future.

Diana Z. O'Brien installed as the Belz Kornitzer Distinguished Professor

We want to congratulate Weidenbaum Center Women's Event Public Policy speaker Diana Z. O'Brien who was installed in late January as the inaugural Bela Kornitzer Distinguished Professor. Kornitzer was an acclaimed political journalist, author, and historian, and was the beloved uncle of Noémi Neirdorff, a longtime WashU benefactor who established the new professorship in the Department of Political Science. In connection with the installation ceremony, there was an all day research symposium, organized by O'Brien, which covered the topics of "War and Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond” and “Political Communication and (Threats to) Democracy." Three key takeaways from the event were as follows: 1) women remain quietly and explicitly excluded from politics; 2) don't underestimate the significance of word-of-mouth information; and 3) leaders and media outlets are responsible for their rhetoric.

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Keisha is the Human Resource & Payroll Supervisor in the Arts & Sciences Cluster who handles Weidenbaum Center related activities in these areas. Keisha was born and raised in St. Louis, and says her favorite St. Louis place is the Muny in Forest Park. She recently finished reading "Disruptive Thinking" by Bishop T.D. Jakes, and thinks a story that doesn't get enough attention these days is the St. Louis City Reparations Commission.

Meet Keisha Blanchard (if viewing via computer, scroll over pic for more info)

Weidenbaum Center Human Resource & Payroll Supervisor, under the A&S Cluster

Weidenbaum Center Administrative Coordinator Alana Bame recently met with Benjamin Noble in San Diego. Ben is now an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD). Ben says he enjoys working with his new colleagues and teaching his students at UCSD. He loves living in San Diego and is excited to explore more sites in the area.

Visit with Benjamin Noble (if viewing via computer, scroll over pic for more info)

Former Weidenbaum Center Graduate Affiliate; Current Assistant Professor of Political Science at UCSD

Upcoming Events

Spring 2024 events include a talk and conversation on economic and monetary policy by Governor of the Federal Reserve Board Adriana D. Kugler, a conversation with emmy-award-winning journalism professor at New York University Hilke Schellmann on holding artificial intelligence accountable, and a conversation with Dr. Mark S. Wrighton, the James & Mary Wertsch Distinguished University Professor and Chancellor Emeritus of Washington University in St. Louis.

Listing of our Spring 2024 Upcoming Events