Best Rockefeller Institute Podcasts (2025)

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Ep. 104. An Interview with TheDream.US 42:05

3d ago42:05

42:05

TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented immigrant youth. This episode of Policy Outsider features an interview with TheDream.US co-founder Don Graham, president and CEO Gaby Pacheco, and Chief Operating Officer Hyein Lee. In the recorded conversation, the TheDream.US team is interviewed by the Institu…

1
Ep. 103. A Closer Look at Refugee Resettlement 46:29

2M ago46:29

46:29

Refugee resettlement organizations play a critical role in immigrant integration, providing job training programs, interpretation and translation services, and other educational programming for individuals and businesses. The indefinite pause of the refugee resettlement program by the Trump administration froze funding for many of these organizatio…

1
Ep. 102. Re: Rescheduling 17:16

3M ago17:16

17:16

With a new presidential administration come new (and dimmer) prospects for the rescheduling of cannabis. The rescheduling process, which began under President Biden, has met with legal hurdles and will now be overseen by a group of Trump appointees that view the drug less favorably. On a new episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute directo…

1
Ep. 101. Guns, Cars, and Pediatric Deaths 25:21

3M ago25:21

25:21

You've probably heard the headline: guns and cars are the leading causes of death among children. But to understand what policymakers can actually do to bring down rates of firearm and motor vehicle fatalities, researchers are going deeper into the intersection of age, sex, race, and ethnicity in mortality rates. On this episode ofPolicy Outsider, …

1
Ep. 100. Red Flag Laws and Clinicians 33:55

6M ago33:55

33:55

Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or "red flag" laws, are a state policy tool designed to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who are behaving in a manner dangerous to themselves or to others. As state laws, they vary in their design and implementation, including who is able to petition to have firearms removed. In some states with red flag …

1
Ep. 99. Buds on the Ballot 15:57

6M ago15:57

15:57

At all levels of American government, voters were asked to weigh in on cannabis policy in last week’s election. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute of Government Director of Operations and Fellow Heather Trela breaks down the results of state ballot initiatives to legalize cannabis, local government efforts to decriminalize po…

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Ep. 98. Emotionally Responsive Practice for Immigrant Students 59:29

8M ago59:29

59:29

Immigrant children face unique challenges in the classroom. Many are processing recent upheaval, working through academic material while learning a new language, or adjusting to new cultural norms. This episode of Policy Outsider, coordinated by the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy, explores how emotionally responsive practice…

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Ep. 97. Firearm Safe Storage & Suicide Prevention 41:00

8M ago41:00

41:00

September marks National Suicide Prevention Month and on this episode of Policy Outsider, Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Executive Director Jaclyn Schildkraut speaks with Hannah Klein, an affiliate scholar with the Consortium and an assistant professor at Lewis University, about the role of safe firearm storage in suicide prevention. The…

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Ep. 96. Alcohol and Firearm Misuse 18:59

10M ago18:59

18:59

As researchers advance their understanding of the causes of gun violence in the US and the contexts in which it occurs, one area under recent consideration is the relationship between firearm use and alcohol misuse. A recent report by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that one in three individuals who committed a homicide wi…

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Ep. 95. Rahimi Reactions 32:03

11M ago32:03

32:03

On June 21, 2024, the United States Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision in the case of United States v. Rahimi. In an 8-to-1 majority, the Court upheld the federal prohibition of firearms by those subject to a domestic violence restraining order. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Jaclyn Schildkraut, executive director of the Inst…

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Ep. 94. The Refugee Experience 45:54

11M ago45:54

45:54

Diya Abdo is a second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan and the author of the book, American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience. The book shares the stories of seven refugees from around the world who begin their American journeys in North Carolina, where Abdo is a Lincoln Financial Professor of English in the Dep…

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Ep. 93. Freshmen Perspectives: Assemblymember Brian Cunningham 18:14

12M ago18:14

18:14

Assemblymember Brian Cunningham joins Policy Outsider for the latest in the "Freshmen Perspectives" series, which invites freshmen legislators in the New York State Senate and Assembly to share what they're working on, what they've learned, and what they're excited about tackling next. Cunningham (who stretches our definition of freshman as a winne…

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Ep. 92. 100 Years of Executive Budgets 25:47

1y ago25:47

25:47

In the early 1980s, the New York State Division of the Budget released a retrospective on the executive budget process. The book, The Executive Budget in New York State: A Half-Century Perspective, describes how the executive budget process came to be, how it evolved over 50 years, and how it helped the state function through the Great Depression, …

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Ep. 91. Un(der)banked Immigrants 34:25

1y ago34:25

34:25

For many, access to the banking system is an important component of upward mobility. Loans, savings accounts, credit cards–these are all part of a financial system that, when used strategically, can help establish financial stability or undergird entrepreneurial activity. But there are barriers to accessing the banking system for those on society's…

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Ep. 90. Gun Violence Exposure, Suicide, and Black Americans 29:17

1y ago29:17

29:17

Rates of both gun violence and firearm suicide have been increasing year over year, but not all Americans have been impacted equally. Black individuals in the US are nearly 14 times more likely to die from a firearm homicide than their white counterparts, and their inpatient hospitalizations due to firearm injuries are nine times higher. And in 202…

1
Ep. 89. Fostering Success at SUNY 27:36

1y ago27:36

27:36

A report we released in February 2024 found that foster youth at SUNY who received funding from the Foster Youth College Success Initiative (FYCSI) tended to reenroll after their first year of college at higher rates than their peers; they also tended to post higher graduation rates for associate degrees and, after six years, bachelor’s degrees. Th…

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Ep. 88. Freshmen Perspectives: Assemblymember Dana Levenberg 43:38

1y ago43:38

43:38

Assemblymember Dana Levenberg represents the 95th district in the New York State Assembly. Her road to statewide elected office included a stint as chief of staff for former New York State Assemblymember Sandy Galef, time on the Ossining School Board, and four elected terms as Ossining Town Supervisor. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Assemblyme…

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Ep. 87. Freshmen Perspectives: Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton 27:43

1y ago27:43

27:43

Jessica Scarcella-Spanton was 21 when she first served as executive director of the Democratic Party on Staten Island. Now, she's serving as a freshman senator in the New York State Legislature, representing New York's 23rd District, which covers the North and East Shores of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn. As a mother of two and wife to a disa…

1
Ep. 86. What's in a Number? 25:36

1y ago25:36

25:36

Budget season is underway in New York and New Jersey. On this episode of Policy Outsider, guest Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, a former New Jersey State treasurer, joins Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna to discuss spending plans in the Garden and Empire State. The conversation covers what is included and excluded from reported budget numbers and…

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Ep. 85. What is a High NA EUV Lithography Center? 25:01

1+ y ago25:01

25:01

On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute President Bob Megna and Kevin Younis, executive deputy commissioner and chief operating officer at Empire State Development, return to the podcast to discuss the latest $10 billion investment in Albany's NanoTech Complex for a new High Numerical Aperture Extreme Ultraviolet (N…

1
Ep. 84. The Healthcare Mega Trend to Watch in 2024 22:01

1+ y ago22:01

22:01

The latest episode of Policy Outsider dives deep into the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare. Rockefeller Institute’s Senior Fellow for Health Policy, Courtney Burke, follows up on her latest blog, "The Healthcare Industry Mega Trend to Watch in 2024: “Today” and “Tomorrow” Players and the Emergence of the “Striving Survivors”" that expands on h…

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Ep. 83. The State of New York's Marijuana Marketplace 22:55

1+ y ago22:55

22:55

The latest episode breaks down New York's Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA). Passed in 2021, the MRTA experienced an uneven rollout due to legal challenges and the rise of illicit markets. Yet, state officials are looking at new ways to support the marijuana industry, empower entrepreneurs, and protect consumers. New York State Senator J…

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Ep. 82. Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Barriers to Financial Services 26:05

1+ y ago26:05

26:05

This episode focuses on immigrant entrepreneurs, their impact on the New York economy, and their ability to access banking systems, loans, capital, and other resources to start and maintain their business. Ahyoung Kim, director of economic empowerment for the Asian American Federation, and Kristine Rudgers, small business advisor for America's Smal…

1
Ep. 81. From Staffer to Assemblymember 22:55

1+ y ago22:55

22:55

On the latest episode, the Honorable Steven Raga, New York State Assemblymember from Queens, NY, shares his journey from legislative staffer to elected official and discusses the daily life of being an Assemblymember, including hectic legislative, community, and campaign schedules, as well as the importance of addressing constituents' immediate con…

1
Ep. 80. Reducing the Carbon Footprint with Public Transit 23:08

1+ y ago23:08

23:08

Recently, in coordination with New York Congressman Paul Tonko, the Rockefeller Institute hosted the Locally Sourced Capital Region Climate Policy conference, which examined ways local governments and organizations within New York’s capital region are addressing climate change through policy and practice. As part of the Rockefeller Institute’s ongo…

1
Ep. 79. The Politics of Trash 44:18

1+ y ago44:18

44:18

Prior to the late 19th century, trash in many American cities accumulated in streets, in backyards, in privies, in empty lots, and in crawlspaces underneath homes. There were no organized municipal efforts to remove the trash and, as they grew in size and density, cities became smelly, foul, and unhealthy places to live. In their book, The Politics…

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Ep. 78. Rescheduling Marijuana 13:48

1+ y ago13:48

13:48

A recent report from the Congressional Research Service suggests that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is likely to approve a US Department of Health and Human Services recommendation to reschedule marijuana, which is currently a Schedule I drug. On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, Director of Operations and Fellow Heather Trela explains wha…

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Ep. 77. School-Based Health Centers 24:38

1+ y ago24:38

24:38

The 252 school-based health centers (SBHCs) operating in New York State serve more than 250,000 students. These health centers provide a range of services on school premises, from primary to behavioral health care—and, in some cases, dental and vision care—and augment the health services children receive from traditional healthcare providers. On th…

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Ep. 76. Asylum Seekers & Work Requirements 22:03

2y ago22:03

22:03

The recent influx of migrants into New York City has highlighted the barriers that these new arrivals face, including the limitations on their ability to work. In a new episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute Nathan Fellow Sarah Rogerson, an expert in immigration law and director of the Immigration Law Clinic and Edward P. Swire Justice C…

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Ep. 75. Biden, SCOTUS, and Student Loan Debt Relief 18:09

2y ago18:09

18:09

In August 2022, the Biden administration announced a plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for eligible borrowers. The plan, legally challenged almost immediately, was struck down in early July by the Supreme Court, ruling the Executive had overreached its authority. Then, on July 14, the Biden administration announced its latest move: …

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Ep. 74. Public Policy and Deathcare Management 28:50

2y ago28:50

28:50

The deathcare infrastructure, consisting of frontline public servants who handle the recently deceased, faced an enormous strain during the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were required to manage a tremendous number of excess deaths, often exceeding their capacity and resources to do so. Staci Zavatarro, Nathan Fellow at the Rockefeller Institute of Gov…

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Ep. 73. Investing in New York's Mental Health Services 28:53

2y ago28:53

28:53

Public investments in mental health services are needed to deal with worsening mental health connected to, among other things, the pandemic, economic anxiety, rapidly changing technologies, and global geopolitical distress. On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute Senior Fellow for Health Policy Courtney Burke and New York St…

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Ep. 72. Confronting Anti-Asian Violence 26:28

2y ago26:28

26:28

The rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans in recent years has been a cause for concern, with reports of violent acts occurring across the country. Advocacy groups alongside federal, state, and local governments have been actively working to address this alarming trend and provide support to victims. As Asian American and Pacific Islander Heri…

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Ep. 71. Supporting the Nation's Community Colleges 20:56

2y ago20:56

20:56

Across the US, the pandemic hit community colleges hard. Enrollment is down and institutions have reduced staff and payroll. And whilecommunity colleges are heavily integrated into their local and regional education and workforce development fabric, federal policy is critical to sustaining andadvancing these institutions. On the latest episode of P…

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Ep. 70. In Local Hands 31:22

2y ago31:22

31:22

The New York Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act (the Empowerment Act) made it easier for New York State residents to initiate the dissolution or consolidation of village governments. On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, Rockefeller Institute Fellow and Daemen University Professor Lisa Parshall discusses her new book, In Loca…

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Ep. 69. The Role of Policy in Immigrant Integration 28:29

2y ago28:29

28:29

Many immigrant families and communities face barriers to utilizing social services and integrating into their communities. These challenges exist across healthcare, housing, legal assistance, education, workforce development, and more. On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, New York State Assemblymember Catalina Cruz talks about her experience a…

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Ep. 68. Leveling the Campaign Playing Field 27:01

2y ago27:01

27:01

The 2024 election cycle will be the first election where candidates running for statewide office in New York can opt into the state's new small donor public financing program. Laura Ladd Bierman and Erica Smitka of the League of Women Voters of New York join Policy Outsider host Alex Morse to discuss the details of the new program and the history o…

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Ep. 67. Unwind: The End of Continuous Coverage for Medicaid 28:27

2y ago28:27

28:27

As part of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) enacted by Congress, Medicaid programs were required to keep individuals continuously enrolled in the program to receive enhanced federal funding (typically, Medicaid requires an annual eligibility renewal). The continuous enrollment requirement was decoupled from the PHE through the Consolidate…

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Ep. 66. Will Biden's Student Debt Cancellation Plan Survive SCOTUS? 18:37

2y ago18:37

18:37

On February 28, 2023, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases opposing President Biden’s student debt relief plan, which seeks to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower. Brian Backstrom, director of education policy studies at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, wrote an analysis that detailed how the …

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Ep. 65. A Master Plan for Aging 27:14

2+ y ago27:14

27:14

New York State has the fourth-largest population of older adults in the US, with 3.2 million New Yorkers over the age of 65, a number that is projected to grow to 5.3 million by 2030. Caring for those older New Yorkers is expensive; the state spends more on long-term care services annually ($32 billion) than any other service. To address the needs …

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Ep. 64. How Does New York's Pending Medicaid Waiver Address Health Equity? 42:26

2+ y ago42:26

42:26

In New York, Medicaid provides healthcare for nearly 8 million people and half of all births. With the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting existing health disparities and disrupting the health care system, there is a significant need and opportunity to innovate Medicaid care delivery. On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, we examine how New York is …

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Ep. 63. New York’s Investment in Innovation Infrastructure 37:40

2+ y ago37:40

37:40

David Anderson, president of NY CREATES, an innovation hub headquartered at the Albany NanoTech Complex, joins Policy Outsider to take us into the workings of the semiconductor industry and offer insight into how New York State’s tightly woven research and economic development tapestry supports and drives advanced technologies and manufacturing. Gu…

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Ep. 62. New York's $100 Billion Micron Deal. How Did It Happen? 34:03

2+ y ago34:03

34:03

In the fall of 2022, Micron, a leading advanced technology manufacturer, agreed to partner with New York State to build a $100 billion dollar semiconductor fabrication facility in upstate New York. How did this deal come to happen? How did federal and state policy, such as the CHIPS and Science Act and New York’s Green CHIPS Program, work to incent…

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Ep. 61. Bad Blood: Reining in Ticketmaster 28:56

2+ y ago28:56

28:56

The recent Ticketmaster-Taylor Swift ticket purchasing debacle brought renewed attention to the stranglehold Ticketmaster holds on the live music industry. On today's episode, New York State Senator James Skoufis, a leading champion of ticket reform legislation, breaks down the problems facing the ticket industry and how state and federal policy ca…

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Ep. 60. Life In and After Service: Caring for Veterans 1:05:33

2+ y ago1:05:33

1:05:33

In honor of National Veterans and Military Families Month, today's episode examines life after serving in the military as told by two veterans. We invited Aaron Gladd, chief of staff of the State University of New York and former platoon leader in the US Army, and Colonel Jim McDonough, CEO of The Headstrong Project and former director of New York …

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Ep. 59. What's Next for New York's Environmental Bond Act? 20:41

2+ y ago20:41

20:41

On Tuesday, voters in New York overwhelmingly approved the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act. On today's episode, we invite New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Executive Deputy Commissioner Sean Mahar to discuss what this support means and what comes next for the environmental bond act. The conversatio…

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Ep. 58. A Renewed Push for Marriage Equality—Part Two 34:55

2+ y ago34:55

34:55

In July, a bill designed to protect same-sex marriages passed the US House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Forty-seven Republicans joined House Democrats in passing the Respect for Marriage Act. Shortly thereafter, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he was working to drum up sufficient Republican support in the Senate t…

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Ep. 57. A Renewed Push for Marriage Equality—Part One 34:07

2+ y ago34:07

34:07

In July, a bill designed to protect same-sex marriages passed the US House of Representatives with bipartisan support. Forty-seven Republicans joined House Democrats in passing the Respect for Marriage Act. Shortly thereafter, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he was working to drum up sufficient Republican support in the Senate t…

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Ep. 56. Second Chances Matter: Reducing Firearm Suicides 58:33

2+ y ago58:33

58:33

In 2020, the most recent year for which data are available, over half of all completed suicides in America involved a firearm–that is more than 24,000 Americans dying by firearm suicide in one year alone. However, suicide attempts involving a firearm account for fewer than 5 percent of all suicide attempts. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness…

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Ep. 55. The Numbers Behind Student Debt Relief 32:38

2+ y ago32:38

32:38

The Biden Administration recently announced a student loan debt relief plan offering up to $20,000 in debt forgiveness for certain borrowers. The announcement also contained details about a new income-driven repayment plan that will reduce monthly payments for lower and middle-income borrowers. On this episode of Policy Outsider, Brian Backstrom, d…

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