Weidenbaum Center Newsletter July 2025

July 2025

Table of Contents

About our Center

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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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Welcome Kelsie Hart, Grants Specialist II (Pre-Award)

Kelsie Hart joined WashU in May 2025 as a Grants Specialist II (Pre-award) with Arts & Sciences’ Grant Administration Integrated Network (GAIN). She is the dedicated specialist for pre-award activity within the Weidenbaum Center, serving the departments of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. Kelsie helps faculty navigate the application process for external grant funding and ensures compliance with all applicable federal, sponsor, and university regulations and policies. Kelsie previously worked as a curator and data manager for the Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center in San Marcos, Texas, which honed her organizational expertise and knowledge of adhering to specific procedures to maintain compliance.

Welcome Mirvali Ismailov, Senior Grants Specialist (Post-Award)

Mirvali Ismailov joined WashU in November 2024 as a Senior Grants Specialist (Post-award) with Arts & Sciences’ Grant Administration Integrated Network (GAIN). He is the dedicated specialist for post-award activity within the Weidenbaum Center, serving the departments of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. Mirvali coordinates the management of awarded external funding to ensure compliance with all applicable federal, sponsor, and university regulations and policies. Mirvali previously worked as a senior grants manager for the University of Westminster and as a budget analyst and grants officer for the U.S. State Department.

Announcing the Inaugural Weidenbaum Graduate Fellowship Cohort

The Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy has awarded a total of $135,000 to support four exceptional PhD students in Political Science, Economics, and Sociology through the 2025–2026 Weidenbaum Graduate Fellowship. The fellows were selected by a jury of three faculty members appointed by the Weidenbaum Center, based on the relevance and promise of their research to the Center’s mission of bridging scholarly work and public policy. Each fellow will receive a $5,000 research account and additional funding to support their graduate training and dissertation research. In addition to funding, Weidenbaum Fellows are integrated into the Center’s vibrant intellectual community and gain access to unique professional development opportunities, including small-group discussions with leading scholars, policymakers, and public officials. Pictured right is new Fellow Khoi Ngo, a third-year Ph.D. student in Sociology. "We're proud to support graduate students who are conducting rigorous, policy-relevant research," said Weidenbaum Center Director Andrew Reeves. For more information, click on title link above.

Weidenbaum Center Faculty Research Fellows

Faculty Research Fellows are appointed for a three-year period and are provided a research account to cover a portion of their research-related expenses. They are additionally asked to participate in our public policy programs.

Visit Our Faculty Research Fellows Page

Peter Boumgarden, Olin Business School

Koch Professor of Practice for Family Enterprise Research Interests: Direct Investment, Creating and redesigning inertia in organizations toward more optimal ends, informing leader thinking, and the prominence of commerce, technology, and entertainment for shaping society

Taylor Carlson

Associate Professor of Political Science and Weidenbaum Center Director of Survey Research Research Interests: Political Behavior, Political Communication, Political Psychology, American Politics, and Experiments

Dino Christenson

Professor of Political Science Research Interests: Electoral Behavior, Public Opinion, Political Psychology, Political Communication, Interest Groups, Survey Research Design, Quantitative Methods, and Data Science

Travis Crum, WashU Law

Professor of Law Research Interests: Voting Rights, Election Law, Constitutional Law, Reconstruction, and U.S. Supreme Court

Cynthia Feliciano

Professor of Sociology Research Interests: Race and Ethnicity, Immigration, and Education.

Limor Golan

Laurence H. Meyer Professor and Professor of Economics Research interests: Labor Economics and Applied Microeconomics

Matthew Hayes

Associate Professor of Political Science Research Interests: American Politics, Racial and Ethnic Politics, Political Psychology, and Political Representation

Andrew Jordan

Professor of Economics Research Interests: Criminal justice, discrimination, labor

Andrew Katz, WashU Law

Associate Professor of Law Research Interests: Constitutional Law, Presidential Power, Comparative Law, Legal Philosophy and History, and Administrative Law

Gregory Magarian, WashU Law

Thomas and Karole Green Professor of Law Research Interests: Freedom of Expression, Law and Religion, Regulations of the Political Process, and Firearms Regulation

Timothy McBride, WashU School of Public Health

Bernard Becker Professor Research Interests: Health policy and health economics

Health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid policy, Rural health care, Health reform, Social Security and pensions

Michael Strawbridge

Assistant Professor of Political Science Research interests: American Politics, Quantitative Methodology, and Racial and Ethnic Politics

Kiara Wyndham

Assistant Professor of Sociology Research interests: Racial Inequality, Suburban Inequality, Community Studies, and Mixed Methods

We bid a fond farewell to Jonathan Rapkin who is retiring this August. He has been a dedicated member of the A&S Information Technology division, serving Arts & Sciences and the broader university community for over 29 years. For nearly three decades, Jonathan offered steadfast support to the Department of Political Science and served as a key player in establishing what is now the Weidenbaum Center Survey project, assisting with coding, data, statistical, and survey-related technology needs. He additionally assisted many of our Center faculty, staff, and students over the years with their varied computer and technological needs. We are deeply grateful for all his amazing contributions to the Center and wish him well in his new life chapter.

Jonathan Rapkin

Data Archivist and Technical Support Specialist

Highlighting September events

Mark your calendars for two critically important events this September at the Weidenbaum Center. On September 4, we welcome Robert Doar, President of the American Enterprise Institute, for a timely and thought-provoking address. This event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the nation’s foremost voices on economic policy and public leadership.

Then, on September 29, don’t miss a landmark discussion featuring the current President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, alongside two former presidents of the Bank. Together, they will explore the Fed’s evolving role in shaping the U.S. economy—a conversation of vital significance for anyone concerned with the future of monetary policy and financial stability.


Upcoming events