Evidence-based Solutions in Action
FAS x Cornell University School of Public Health
As part of the Federation of American Scientists’ work on evidence-based policymaking, we partnered with Cornell University’s School of Public Health to pilot a new model for policy-informed research. This collaboration explores how graduate students can directly contribute to the evidence base that shapes government decisions by answering real learning agenda questions from agencies. Learning agenda questions are key priority questions developed by federal agencies that require input from external stakeholders. The insights gathered from these questions are used to inform the development of policies, programs, and other strategic decisions.
The creation of learning agendas became a requirement under the Evidence Act in 2019, which aims to strengthen the use of data and evidence across the government for decision-making. The initial set of federal learning agendas were developed between 2020-2024. As the current administration establishes its priorities, the future of learning agendas continues to evolve. The FAS x Cornell collaboration presented here builds on the idea of learning agendas by asking graduate students to think through opportunities to bring evidence-based policy to solve timely challenges that federal agencies face.
Though each memo addresses a distinct topic, from PFAS contamination and extreme heat, to the role of FEMA, they all share a common thread which is the power of evidence-based policymaking – and the untapped potential of university collaborations to help decision makers solve challenging problems. The memos illustrate how academic research can directly respond to the federal learning agenda process to support smarter policy decisions. They also demonstrate how state and local challenges can inform federal solutions that are scalable when grounded in evidence and guided by real policy needs.
This series reinforces FAS’ commitment to advancing evidence-based policymaking through policy entrepreneurship and closing the gap between government needs and academic expertise. This partnership also showcases the potential of cross-sector collaboration to inform future guidance, budget priorities, and program design. Through the cultivation of academic networks and publishing research that maps directly to learning agendas, we are helping to operationalize the next generation of evidence-based governance. To that end, each of the memos represent the work of graduate students, who incorporated the goal of answering policy-relevant questions into their academic experience.
Turning The Heat Up on Disaster Policy
Keshika Gopinathan, Alistair Hayden, Grace Wickerson
This memo examines how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can better prepare for and respond to heat disasters, which often result in high mortality, especially among unhoused populations or those in unsafe housing. It proposes data-sharing improvements, program adjustments, and formula changes to support federal disaster declarations and targeted heat mitigation. It responds directly to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s learning agenda question, “How do the impacts, costs, and resulting needs of slow-onset disasters compare with those of declared disasters, and what are implications for slow-onset disaster declarations, recovery aid programs, and HUD allocation formulas?”
Clean Water: Protecting New York State Private Wells from PFAS
Danielle Yerdon, Fábio Iwashita, Alistair Hayden
This memo responds to growing public health concerns related to PFAS (the “forever chemical”) exposure, exploring the potential impacts and costs of a statewide program in New York that would test private wells for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination and reimburse residents for installing treatment systems when contamination exceeds safe levels. It responds to a policy need at the state level that originates due to a lack of relevant federal data. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a learning agenda question that asks,“To what extent does EPA have ready access to data to measure drinking water compliance reliably and accurately?” This memo fills that need because EPA doesn’t measure private wells.
If We’ve Learned Anything It is that Learning Agendas Bring Evidence into Policymaking (Coming Soon)
Cheri Banks
This blog post explains the importance of learning agendas in strengthening federal decision-making. It highlights how agencies have used learning agendas in the past and examines current political challenges to embedding science and evidence in policy.
FEMA and COVID Response (Coming Soon)
Alistair Hayden
This upcoming memo will analyze FEMA’s role in public health emergencies, focusing on lessons from its COVID-19 response and implications for future disaster preparedness.