Closing the Water Gap
Faculty Lead: Dr. Marcela González Rivas
Although many countries have made progress in improving overall access to clean water and sanitation (SDG Goal 6), relatively few have reduced the persistent water inequalities that exist within countries, across income levels or across urban/rural areas. The Closing the Water Gap working group focused on understanding the key factors behind programs that have managed to reduce the water gap. Using an extensive survey of the case study literature focused on reduced inequality cases (following the joint UNICEF/WHO criteria), students identified the main factors associated with effective programs in the water sector, generating a multi-criteria assessment matrix. The ultimate goal of the working group was to produce a journal publication that identifies the key social, economic, financial, institutional, and governance factors that are consistently observed in programs that have succeeded in reducing the water gap.
- Brian Barr (MID '21)
- Taylor Broshar (MPIA '21)
- Julia Heller (MID/MPH '22)
- Rachel Hull (MPA/MPH '22)
- Kayla Kuziola (MID '21)
- Luciana Lemos (MPA '22)
- Alex Romeo (MID '21)
Conflict at Sea: Boat Migration in the Central Mediterranean and the War Against the NGOs
Faculty Lead: Dr. Gemma Marolda
The Conflict at Sea working group investigated the current conflict between states and international non-governmental actors (NGOs) over search and rescue (SAR) missions in the Mediterranean. Group members researched and documented recent SAR cases in which rescued migrants and refugees afloat in the Central Mediterranean remained at sea on aid ships for weeks in inhumane conditions, waiting for access to a safe port. The group collected evidence for an article on the European Union’s and EU member states’ violations of human rights in the Central Mediterranean.
- Peter Byman
- Valeria Cheney
- Thomas Ercoli (MID '21)
- Christine Gameos (MID '21)
- Ziying Guo
- Ian Maxwell (MPIA '21)
- Alice Ngamije (MID '21)
- Lizz Piccoli (MID '21)
- Michael Pisztora (MPIA '20)
- Matthew Pribis (MID '21), Student Coordinator
- Falon Weidman (MPA '21)
Floods and Social Equity in the Context of Climate Change
Faculty Lead: Dr. Stanley Kabala
Preparing communities for the economic, societal, and public health impacts of climate change is a growing concern within the field of human security. The working group investigated cities’ efforts to offset the economic and human costs of flooding by building water-resilient communities through green infrastructure and promoting socially equitable land-use policies. The working group explored how cities designate green spaces for the purpose of flood mitigation, with special attention paid to FEMA flooding programs, housing acquisitions and relocation polices. The group was accepted to a research conference and presented a poster/paper to present at a national conference on urban affairs, environmental resilience, and sustainability. However, due to COVID-19, the conference was cancelled.
- Megan Canfield (MPIA '20), Student Coordinator
- Justin Giannantonio (MID '20)
- Ali Greenholt (MID '21)
- Ben Hewitt (MPA '22)
- Julie Mattera (MPPM '20)
- Ryan Peters (MPA '21)
- Joe Skibbins (MPIA '20)
- Mya Williams (MID '21)
Gender Equality in Public Administration
Faculty Leads: Dr.s Müge Finkel and Melanie Hughes
In 2014, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) published a report that launched the Gender Equality in Public Administration (GEPA) project –a research and policy development initiative to collect and make available up-to-date information on gender equality in public administration. In September 2015, the Ford Institute initiated the GEPA working group in partnership with the UNDP. Over the past three years, students have collected and analyzed raw data on women’s representation in civil service jobs globally. They have presented findings at UN Headquarters in New York, during the 2019 Commission on the Status of Women in March 2019, as well as in May 2016, 2017, and 2018.
- I Younan An (MID '21)
- Anna Baer (MID '20)
- Juliana Bernardino (MID '21)
- Kayla Conforti (MPIA '21)
- Sara Downing (MPIA '21)
- Sara Fox (PhD Candidate)
- Ziru Gao (MPA '21)
- Chloe Harvey (MPIA '21)
- Rhea Henry (MPA '21)
- Elizabeth Hernandez (MPA '21)
- Rebecca Holland (MID '21)
- Brianna Howell (PhD Candidate)
- Ding Hui (MPA '21)
- Kanoko Kamata (PhD Candidate)
- Sara Macdougall (MPIA '21)
- Cassidy Martin (MPA '21)
- Natalia Duarte-Mayorga (PhD Candidate)
- Samantha Monks (MID '20)
- Ihrar Muhammadi (MID '21)
- Chidinma Onuoha (MID '21)
- Michelle Ozaeta (MID '20)
- Kathryn Pataki (PhD Candidate)
- Samantha Sinn (MID '21)
- Corinne Taylor (MPA '21)
- Andrew Tuznik (MID '20), Student Coordinator
- Joie Zabec (MA Bioethics '21)
- Xinyuan Zheng (MSIS/MPIA '22)
Hacking4Humanity: Misinformation as a Cause of Violent Conflict
Faculty Lead: Dr. Taylor Seybolt
In collaboration with the Institute for Cyber Policy, Security, and Law (Pitt Cyber), this working group researched and prepared briefing papers for a multidisciplinary hackathon seeking technical and policy solutions to seemingly intractable social problems. The subject of this year’s hackathon was the distrust and fear caused by misinformation and how it often plays an important role in the outbreak of violent conflict. The hackathon focused on two questions. How can technology be used to warn communities about violence and help them identify safe areas? How can technology be used to overcome inaccurate information that drives the security dilemma of spiraling tensions? The working group researched the conflict early warning projects currently in use around the world and wrote policy primers about the specific challenges for hackathon teams to address.
- Adam Flango (MPIA '22)
- Kayla Martin (MPIA '20)
- Spencer Pelak (MPIA '21)
- Caelan Hidalgo Schick (MPIA '21)
Human Trafficking in Global Supply Chains
Faculty Lead: Prof. Julia Santucci
In partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP), this working group examined human trafficking in global supply chains, researched current policies and private sector practices, and drivers of trafficking specific to the palm oil industry. The group consulted with the federal government, private sector, NGOs, and experts working to address this complex issue. As a result, working group members produced a written report and recommendations on how to eradicate labor trafficking and modern slavery within specific industries.
- Alyssa Amendola (MID '21)
- Kelsey Brennan (MPIA '20), Student Coordinator
- Gabriel Cirio (MID '21)
- Lucy Gloninger (MPIA '21)
- Laura Gooding (MPIA '21)
- Maureen Hossler (MPIA '21)
- Michael Kuncio (MID '20)
- Rebecca Lerman (MPIA/Law)
- Iris Matijevic (MPIA '21)
- Jerry Quattro (MPIA '21)
- Wensislaus Rumangun (MPIA '21)
- Gabrielle Sinnott (MPIA '21)
- Weiping Xiao (MPIA '20)