Whether it's driving groundbreaking research, speaking on expert panels, testifying before Congress and other government bodies, elevating the use of technology in the public policy sphere, testing new ideas and programs, or sharing perspectives in the media, Heinz College's cross-disciplinary thought leaders are out in front on the most pressing issues of our time.
From health care and trade to criminal justice and national security, there is no shortage of consequential policy debates in the United States and abroad. Heinz College confronts such complex problems with novel approaches and innovative methodologies guided by evidence.
Heinz College doesn't just participate in these conversations. We lead them, shift them, and shape them.
Jump to a Policy Area
- AI & the Societal Impacts of Technology
- Crime & Drug Policy
- Cybersecurity & Data Privacy
- Digital & Consumer Behavior
- Energy, Environment, & Sustainability
- Health Care
- Labor Economics, Trade & Immigration
- Managing the Arts
- Organization, Governance & Management
- Urban Policy & Smart Cities
- Policy Proposals from Students
- Engaging With Leaders at Every Level
- A Presence on Capitol Hill
- Public Interest Technology
- Policy Innovation Lab
- Heinz College in Washington, DC
AI & the Societal Impacts of Technology
Policy and technology have historically been separate domains, but more and more the lines between the two—and the demands they place on each other—are blurring. From the future of work to algorithmic bias, technology has the potential to reshape our society, and our experts are visionaries who advise policymakers and craft solutions that will ensure technology has broad and inclusive social benefits. Learn how Heinz College is leading the way in AI policy.
Key Experts: Ramayya Krishnan, Leman Akoglu, Lee Branstetter, Rayid Ghani, Christopher Goranson, Kristen Kurland, Anand Rao, Michael D. Smith, David Steier, Rahul Telang
Recent Activity:
- How can we best evaluate agentic AI? [Brookings Institution]
- ChatGPT allegedly advised Florida State shooter when and where to strike [The Washington Post]
- To scale AI agents successfully, think of them like team members [Harvard Business Review]
- AI’s growing appetite for power is putting Pennsylvania’s aging electricity grid to the test [The Conversation]
- Tesla adding Grok AI chatbot to its cars in the UK, Europe amid regulatory probes [CNBC]
Recent Publications:
- Human Tutoring Improves the Impact of AI Tutor Use on Learning Outcomes Artificial Intelligence in Education: Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education
- GenAI Misinformation, Trust, and News Consumption: Evidence from a Field Experiment Working Paper
- LLM Time Machines: Valuing Digital Goods Over Time Working Paper
- The Effects of AI Ingestion on Rightsholders’ Incentives Chapter of Identifying the Economic Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Copyright Policy: Context and Direction for Economic Research
- The U.S. Government's Role in Harnessing Technology for Future Prosperity Transition Memo
- The Commission on the Geopolitical Impacts of New Technologies and Data Atlantic Council
- The Need for Transparency in Artificial Intelligence Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security; U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
- Governing AI Through Acquisition and Procurement Testimony Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee (NAIAC) Year 1 Report Report to the President of the United States
Crime & Drug Policy
Heinz College is at the forefront of research in criminal justice including recidivism, policing, sentencing and incarceration, gun violence, the impacts of algorithmic bias in criminal justice, and evidence-based recommendations for criminal justice reform; key areas of drug policy research include studies of new cannabis markets, substance abuse, and the reduction/prevention of opioid deaths.
Key Experts: Jonathan Caulkins, Daniel Nagin
Recent Activity:
- Pot reclassification and the victims of violent crime [The Wall Street Journal]
- As fentanyl crisis evolves, experts say US is still ‘behind the eight ball’ [Al Jazeera]
- It's time for America to admit it has a marijuana problem [The New York Times]
- What’s behind the stunning decline in American opioid deaths [The Washington Post]
- The real reason for the drop in fentanyl overdoses [The Atlantic]
Recent Publications:
- Legalization, Decriminalization, and Other Alternatives to Prohibitions That Create Illegal Markets Manhattan Institute
- Possible Effects of Cheap Fentanyl on Drug Markets, Use and Harm: A Theoretical Analysis Global Crime
- Historical and Contextual Variation in Daily Opioid Consumption Rates: Implications for Supply Control, Service Delivery, and Research The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse
- Fentanyl at the Gates: Comparing Large Seizures at the U.S.-Mexican and U.S.-Canadian Borders Manhattan Institute
Cybersecurity & Data Privacy
As the world becomes more connected and data is both generated and collected at unprecedented rates, the need for policy solutions in cybersecurity and privacy have grown tremendously. Key areas of research and influence include risk management, election security, and privacy economics.
Key Experts: Alessandro Acquisti, Rahul Telang, Gregory Touhill, Randall Trzeciak
Recent Activity:
- People may be less vulnerable to phishing scams when using mobile phones [The Wall Street Journal]
- In 23andMe case, a fight brews over who can sell your genetic code [The Washington Post]
- Why hackers want your health information [The Wall Street Journal]
- Google searches are becoming a bigger target of cybercriminals with the rise of ‘malvertising’ [CNBC]
- These internet browsers promise privacy. What does that actually mean? [The Wall Street Journal]
Recent Publications:
- Device and Risk-Avoidance Behavior in the Context of Cybersecurity Phishing Attacks International Journal of Information Management
- Bridging the Community College Cybersecurity Classroom and Workplace with CyberSim Lab Proceedings of the 56th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
- Personalized Privacy Preservation in Consumer Mobile Trajectories Information Systems Research
- Policy Impacts of Statistical Uncertainty and Privacy Science
- Could Ransomware Attacks Ultimately Benefit Consumers? Harvard Business Review
Digital & Consumer Behavior
Many industries have been turned upside down by technology and big data, which has caused the rise of new business models as well as complex consumer behaviors and legal concerns. Our experts inform policymakers and industry leaders alike on how 21st century innovations like social media and digital streaming impact economics, politics, and culture.
Key Experts: Avinash Collis, Pedro Ferreira, Beibei Li, Ananya Sen, Michael D. Smith, Rahul Telang
Recent Activity:
- As streaming subscription fees rise, more consumers opt to pay less and watch ads [Los Angeles Times]
- A social-media ban really could do a lot of good [The Atlantic]
- The mourning of TikTok's economic promise [Forbes]
- 'The Pitt' asks: Is TV better in small doses? [The New York Times]
- Too big to prosecute?: Examining the AI industry’s mass ingestion of copyrighted works for AI training [U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism]
Recent Publications:
- Operational Decision-Making Around Movie Piracy & Theatrical Release: A Structural Model of Movie Piracy vs. Legal (In-Theater) Consumption Manufacturing and Service Operations Management
- Can Gen AI and Copyright Coexist? Harvard Business Review
- Identifying the Economic Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Copyright Policy: Context and Direction for Economic Research U.S. Copyright Office
- When Less Is More: Data and Power in Advertising Experiments Marketing Science
- Social Media and Well-Being: Impact of TikTok on Screentime and Sleep Patterns Working Paper
Energy, Environment, & Sustainability
Rapid social and political changes have placed increasing demands on institutions to be agents of equity. Our energy experts, environmental economists, and sustainability leaders dig deep into the effects of climate change, regulations, and adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals on crucial areas like health; clean air, water and soil; child development; equality and justice; and the global economy.
Key Experts: Karen Clay, Akshaya Jha, Sarah Mendelson
Recent Activity:
- The hidden costs of the EPA's new climate change policy [Marketplace]
- Pittsburgh's poor neighborhoods are hotter due to more asphalt and fewer trees, study finds [90.5 WESA]
- Pennsylvania ends attempt at CO2 regulation, leaving questions on how to address climate change [90.5 WESA]
- In a toxic world, pets could be vital health watchdogs [The New York Times]
- Professor Akshaya Jha was cited across major outlets for his research on air quality, including The New York Times, NPR, NBC News and WIRED.
Recent Publications:
- Early Life Shocks, Market Adjustments, and Black-White Inequality Working Paper
- Polluting Public Funds: The Effect of Environmental Regulations on Municipal Bonds Management Science
- Quantifying Grid Resilience Against Extreme Weather Using Large-Scale Customer Power Outage Data INFORMS Journal on Data Science
- Hierarchical Probabilistic Conformal Prediction for Energy Resources Adoption Working Paper
- The Social Lifecycle Impacts of Power Plant Siting in the Historical United States NBER
Health Care
Our faculty push the boundaries of what's possible in health care, whether its groundbreaking analysis of existing and emerging health care markets and models, or opening new frontiers in health care powered by technology.
Key Experts: George Chen, Martin Gaynor, Amelia Haviland, Rema Padman, Lowell Taylor, Holly Wiberg
Recent Activity:
- Alabama hospital system would gain monopoly with proposed $450 million deal [STAT News]
- Congress should embrace competition to promote affordability [Forbes]
- Could a new Lenox Hill Hospital raise health care costs? [Politico]
- U.S. opens antitrust investigation into NewYork-Presbyterian [The New York Times]
- UnitedHealth grew to be a leviathan. Then came the backlash [The New York Times]
Recent Publications:
- Changes in Access to High Pediatric Readiness Emergency Care in the United States from 2013 to 2021 Journal of Pediatrics
- Promoting Health Literacy With Human-in-the-Loop Video Understandability Classification of YouTube Videos: Development and Evaluation Study Journal of Medical Internet Research
- Operating Room-to-Downstream Elective Surgery Planning Under Uncertainty European Journal of Operational Research
- Leveraging Expertise in Interorganizational Teaming: Exploring the Intertwined Roles of Goal Awareness and Expertise Awareness Health Care Management Review
Labor Economics, Trade & Immigration
At the intersection of technology and society, the areas of economics, trade, and immigration face complex and evolving questions. Topics of research include the future of work—including economic disruption and labor displacement fueled by automation and AI—the effects of immigration on local economies, the rise of China as an economic power, and the impact of trade wars, past and current.
Key Experts: Lee Branstetter, Andrew Garin, Felix Koenig, Brian Kovak, Lowell Taylor
Recent Activity:
- Gig workers have seconds to take a job. Gas prices complicate the decision [The Wall Street Journal]
- Seattle tried to guarantee higher pay for delivery drivers – here’s why it didn’t work as intended [The Conversation]
- Why economists got free trade with China so wrong [NPR]
- Trump tells farmers ‘changes are coming’ to immigration crackdown [The New York Times]
- The lessons from China's dominance in manufacturing [Financial Times]
Recent Publications:
- Anthropomorphising the Algorithm: A ‘Theory of Mind’ Perspective on Psychological Contract Creation in Gig Work Arrangements Human Resource Management Journal
- Economics, GDP-B: Accounting for the Value of New and Free Goods American Economic Journal
- Do Place-Based Industrial Interventions Help "Left-Behind" Workers? Lessons from WWII and Beyond Working Paper
- Trade-offs in Leveraging External Data Capabilities: Evidence from a Field Experiment in an Online Search Market Management Science
Managing the Arts
At the crossroads of creativity, technology, and strategy, arts management faculty explore how cultural institutions thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Our faculty examine the leadership, economics, and policy dimensions of the arts—investigating topics like audience engagement, nonprofit governance, digital innovation, and sustainable funding models. Their work empowers leaders, artists, organizations, and communities to navigate change and amplify impact through the arts.
Key Experts: Brett Ashley Crawford, Daniel Green
Recent Activity:
- Artificial intelligence and filmmaking: Industry experts’ thoughts as Oscars are celebrated [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
- Hollywood has already faced steep job cuts. The Warner deal could make it worse [Los Angeles Times]
- DOGE cuts at National Endowment for the Humanities hit Carnegie Museums, Phipps and more [WESA Radio]
- How the Kansas City Chiefs became the villains in their playoff battle with the Buffalo Bills [NBC]
- Spielberg’s deal with Netflix is latest chapter in complicated relationship [MarketWatch]
Recent Publications:
- Entrepreneurial Arts and Cultural Leadership: Traits of Success in Nonprofit Theater Intellect Books
- Raising the Curtain Technology Success Stories from Performing Arts Leaders and Artists Wiley
- The NFT Art Marketplace: Trends and Considerations ETC Press
- Using Podcasts to Enhance Student Learning Inside & Outside the Classroom ENCATC Scholars Journal
Organization & Management
In a world of rapid change and complex institutions, understanding how organizations function—and how they can adapt—is more critical than ever. Our faculty explore the dynamics of leadership, decision-making, innovation, and organizational design across sectors. From managing digital transformation and hybrid workforces to fostering inclusive cultures and resilient systems, their research helps shape the future of effective, ethical, and agile organizations.
Key Experts: David Krackhardt, Chris Labash, David Lassman, Anna Mayo, Stacy Rosenberg, Denise Rousseau
Recent Activity:
- Healthy workers are ditching company insurance to save $1,000 a month [Bloomberg]
- The new rules of workplace loyalty [Business Insider]
- How to destroy motivation and initiative: Your boss fails to see you [Forbes]
- Inside the rise of layoff support groups [Business Insider]
- The workplace psychological contract is broken. Here's how to fix it. [Harvard Business Review]
Recent Publications:
- Monster Transformation: Conquer Your Digital Fears, Be AI Ready, and Focus on What Matters to Your Organization Wiley
- Willingness to Pay for Workplace Amenities Centre for Economic Performance
- The Roles of Learning and Status Attainment in Successful Newcomer Socialization: Random Assignments to Complex Projects and Early Career Outcomes Academy of Management Journal
- Anthropomorphising the Algorithm: A ‘Theory of Mind’ Perspective on Psychological Contract Creation in Gig Work Arrangements Human Resource Management Journal
Urban Policy & Smart Cities
One of the most profound changes in the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be the coming online of smart cities and communities across the globe, which will create new possibilities for citizen engagement, public safety, economic growth, and quality of life. Heinz College is a global leader in advancing smart cities research and policy.
Key Experts: Mark Kamlet, Sean Qian, Raj Rajkumar
Recent Activity:
- A deadly crash and Musk’s exaggerations: Inside two lawsuits over Tesla’s self-driving tech [Los Angeles Times]
- We asked 3 autonomous driving experts to comment on Tesla's robotaxi launch and break down videos of some of its errors [Business Insider]
- Trump vehicle charger funds freeze is first move to unwind EV policy [Axios]
- Tesla pullback puts onus on others to build electric vehicle chargers [The New York Times]
- Self-driving trucks claim climate benefits [Scientific American]
Recent Publications:
- Ridesharing and Digital Resilience for Urban Anomalies: Evidence from NYC Taxi Market Information Systems Research
- Fractional GPUs: Software-Based Compute and Memory Bandwidth Reservation for GPUs IEEE
- Thin-Plate Spline-based Adaptive 3D Surround View IEEE
- The Impact of Ride-hailing Services on Congestion: Evidence from Indian Cities SSN
- Truck traffic monitoring with satellite images ACM
- CSIP: A Synchronous Protocol for Automated Vehicles at Road Intersections ACM
Policy Proposals, White Papers, & Reports From Students
Our students work alongside leading faculty researchers to explore critical policy questions and devise evidence-based, implementable solutions. Research projects are completed via independent study or in courses designed to promote policy analysis and research. Students are also encouraged to participate in student-run policy publications and initiatives, including the Heinz Journal and Heinz Radio.
Recent Activity, Policy Proposals, Papers, and Reports:
- As Energy Costs Rise, CMU Students Help Communities Plan for Affordable Solar Access
- Mindset Matters: Employing Economic Research and Practical Interventions to Fight Poverty
- Finding The Needle In The Haystack: CMU Students Develop AI Tool To Improve The Usability Of Government Reports
- Collaboration On AI-Powered Patient Safety Research Flags Drug Side Effects
- Dark Web Fentanyl-Selling Operations Have Grown Rapidly, Offer Steep Discounts
- Policy Impacts of Statistical Uncertainty and Privacy
- Flipping the Script on Criminal Justice Risk Assessment: An Actuarial Model for Assessing the Risk the Federal Sentencing System Poses to Defendants
- Commonwealth of PA and CMU Present Findings of Report on Pennsylvania's Innovation Economy
Engaging With Leaders at Every Level
Our students and faculty regularly have meaningful engagements with leaders from the City of Pittsburgh, local and county agencies, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, national politicians including U.S. Representatives Mike Doyle (PA-18) and Conor Lamb (PA-17), and distinguished guest speakers and lecturers.
A Presence on Capitol Hill
Our faculty and alumni are frequently called to testify before Congress. Recent appearances include:
Generative AI & Copyright
Testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Prof. Michael Smith warns that using pirated content to train AI harms creators; he calls for legal protections to sustain innovation.
AI Transparency
Professor Ramayya Krishnan explained the need for transparency in artificial intelligence, testifying to a sub-committee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Governing AI Acquisitions
Prof. Rayid Ghani puts forward recommendations to the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee for procuring and using AI systems in way that will result in a more equitable society.
Equitable Algorithms
Prof. Rayid Ghani speaks to the House Financial Services Committee as part of the Task Force on Artificial Intelligence.
Decoding Health Care Markets
Prof. Martin Gaynor testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on the Effects of Consolidation and Anticompetitive Conduct in Health Care Markets.
China and Technology
Prof. Lee Branstetter testifies before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on how to address China’s alleged misappropriation of foreign technology without stirring up a trade war.
Overcoming Pharmaceutical Barriers
Alumna Tara O'Neill Hayes (MSPPM 2014) of the American Action Forum testified before the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee.