Brown establishes Policy Lab for scholars, government to work ‘shoulder to shoulder’

BROWN UNIVERSITY is hiring 20 data scientists and other researchers for its new Policy Lab, which plans to bring scholars and policymakers together to develop solutions for a wide range of problems, from public health to education. / COURTESY BROWN UNIVERSITY

PROVIDENCE – Brown University has launched a policy research center that intends to bring together university experts, government officials and community members to develop data-driven solutions to problems in Rhode Island and beyond.

The Policy Lab is being led by David Yokum, a cognitive scientist and founding member of the White House’s Social and Behavioral Sciences Team under President Barack Obama.

Most recently, he was the founding director of The Lab @ D.C., a policy research center housed within the Washington, D.C., mayor’s office.

Yokum said he envisions Brown’s Policy Lab as a place in which scholars work with government officials instead of scholars producing research for political decision-makers who may not consume it.

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Yokum joined the Brown faculty last fall and has worked with Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s office to establish a partnership.

“It is common nowadays to agree that policy should be evidence-based, but how to deliver on that rhetoric in practice is harder,” Yokum said in a news release. “We need not only the highest-quality scientific methods but also a pragmatic mindset geared toward scholarship that can concretely inform decision-making within the bureaucratic and political trenches. We envision a collaborative model for the Policy Lab, where we work side by side with partners to identify challenges and opportunities, as well as implement solutions.”

The Policy Lab is supported by Arnold Ventures, a national philanthropy. Brown is also providing funding.

The lab is hiring a staff of nearly 20 data scientists and other researchers and will also draw on assistance from Brown’s faculty researchers.

“Part of the reason I wanted to come to Brown was the collaborative nature of Brown’s research enterprise, where scholars reach across departments to approach research questions in novel ways,” Yokum said. “That puts Brown in a unique position to help build effective policy across a broad spectrum of challenges.”

The lab has identified several key areas in which to begin its work. A collaboration with the R.I. Department of Education will focus on evidence-based efforts to improve Rhode Island schools. (It’s unclear how an education overhaul recently proposed by legislative leaders will affect that effort.)

Work with the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services will be aimed at improving treatment for opioid use disorder, Brown said.

“Population health and social service needs are ever-evolving, so the ability to tell a story in real time through data makes Rhode Island more nimble in finding timely solutions to our communities’ greatest needs,” said Lisa Vura-Weis, acting secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “We see this as a game-changer for the state and our counterparts in academic research, as we work collaboratively to benefit our neighbors and possibly the nation.”

The Policy Lab said it plans to explore collaborations with municipal governments. And it will also host training courses, fellowships, speaker series and other activities.

Yokum said the Policy Lab will focus on involving stakeholders in the research it conducts, including to help to troubleshoot challenge of implementing policies.

“We need scientists shoulder to shoulder with practitioners in those moments, co-designing fresh ideas and iteratively experimenting to optimize solutions,” he said. “The Policy Lab is a place and group of people who will be dedicated to this work.”

William Hamilton is PBN staff writer and special projects editor. You can follow him on Twitter @waham or email him at hamilton@pbn.com.

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