Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

It’s almost time for the first day of classes!

Wondering what else is happening around campus?

👉8/31 First day of classes! Grab a celebratory donut at the Ford School 🍩
👉9/1 Fall Launch 🍂
👉9/2 Festifall 📋
👉9/5 Wolverines vs. WMU 🏈
👉9/9 Student Org Fair 🏫

Social psychologist Kaitlin Raimi’s latest study reveals public support for climate solutions isn't just about whether the technique works—it's also about whether people perceive it as a natural process. It offers big implications for how policymakers, scientists, and communicators talk about new climate technologies—and how much the public buys into each approach.

"One thing that continues to surprise me is how little political beliefs matter when it comes to people's preference for naturalness," says Raimi.

Read more: https://myumi.ch/xjwmN

Faculty expert Q&A: The new Mecca defense agreement bringing together Pakistan, Saudi Arabia & Türkiye adds another layer to an increasingly complex security landscape stretching from South Asia to the Middle East.

National security expert Javed Ali discusses what the agreement could mean for the region, & why the responses are worth watching.

Read: https://myumi.ch/G7294

92% of Michigan township and city officials are very confident in their jurisdiction’s ability to administer an accurate election, according to the Center for State, Local, and Urban Policy’s newest Michigan Public Policy Survey.

Other key findings from the survey:
🗳️65% of local officials believe their residents are “very confident” in the accuracy of elections in their community.
📉Concerns regarding other potential problems with election administration have generally decreased or stayed the same since 2022.

Read more: https://myumi.ch/pgV7z

Thinking about grad school or a future in public policy?

Our Public Policy and International Affairs - PPIA Program Junior Summer Institute fellows just wrapped up 7 weeks of courses, hands-on experiences, and community building designed to help students prepare for what’s next. ☀️📚

Learn more: https://myumi.ch/jVZn4

Where do working-age adults with bachelor’s or graduate degrees move for work?

A new study co-authored by Kevin Stange, co-director of the Education Policy Initiative, explores this question by examining patterns in workers and how they vary and identifies the most effective policies to attract and retain talent.

Read the report: https://myumi.ch/E7r4M

Detroit is one of the largest urban centers in the United States, big enough to fit both Manhattan and San Francisco, yet it has very few big-box retailers.

CLOSUP Director Stephanie Leiser and PhD candidate Keion Harris co-authored a piece for The Conversation that details reasons for the lack of investment and proposed strategies to entice national retailers to the city.

Read more: https://myumi.ch/kVZj5

Ever wondered what a summer in the PPIA Junior Summer Institute program looks like? Here's a glimpse of it through the lens of Hattie Martinek, a student who participated in the program this summer!

Hattie spent 7 weeks with us learning about various policy issues, exploring Ann Arbor, DC, Detroit, and South Haven, and making new connections at the Ford School and beyond.

Read about her experience https://myumi.ch/nVyxA

Public health scholar Marianne Udow-Phillips spoke with NPR about distrust in public health, why clearer communication about uncertainty matters, and shared concerns that could help rebuild trust.

Read more: https://myumi.ch/pgk2e

The U.S. Treasury and Japan’s finance ministry are collaborating to support the value of Japan’s currency.

Why would the U.S. assist in strengthening the yen against the dollar? Economist Kathryn Dominguez explains, “If the dollar strengthens, that hurts our exports in world markets and makes imports more attractive.”

Read more: https://myumi.ch/11bP7