Rockefeller Institute of Government
@rockefellerinst.bsky.social
The public policy research arm of the State University of New York. We conduct rigorous, nonpartisan research to promote better policymaking.
5️⃣ topics to watch in education policy as the school year begins: smartphone bans, AI in classrooms, student mental health, school safety, and universal pre-K. rockinst.org/blog/back-to...
Back to School: Five Topics to Watch in Education Policy | Rockefeller Institute of Government
School cellphone bans, universal pre-K, AI in the classroom, student mental health, and school safety—all will play a role in how students and teachers experience the classroom.
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Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium Executive Director @jschildkraut80.bsky.social will present best practices for lockdown drills as part of this October 6 webinar. Register here: emergent3.com/webinar-lock...
We are excited to welcome the RGVRC's inaugural postdoctoral research fellow: Caleb Cuthbertson! Caleb's research centers on the psychological/relational impacts of firearm injuries on individuals, families, & communities, & we're looking forward to showcasing it! rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...
RGVRC Member Highlight: Caleb Cuthbertson | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Meet RGVRC postdoctoral research fellow Caleb Cuthbertson, whose research explores how firearm injuries affect the mental health and well-being of entire families.
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We're thrilled to announce our third cohort of NYS Science Policy Fellows! These PhD scientists are working with the NYS executive and legislature to bring additional scientific expertise to bear on important policy problems. 👇 Meet the fellows! 🧵 rockinst.org/news/article...
Rockefeller Institute of Government Welcomes Third Cohort of New York State Science Policy Fellows | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Six doctoral-level scientists will serve two-year appointments across New York State government to support evidence-based policymaking.
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On a new episode of Policy Outsider, @jschildkraut80.bsky.social explores a program in Washington State that delivers to high school students an evidence-informed education on how to reduce firearm injuries and deaths. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...
Ep. 130. Learning About Firearm Injury Risks in School | Rockefeller Institute of Government
On this episode of Policy Outsider, we explore a program in Washington State that delivers to high school students an evidence-informed education on how to reduce firearm injury.
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NEW RGVRC Affiliate Scholars Lynn Addington & Wendy Regoeczi highlight their recently published study examining older adult men (50+) as homicide victims. Important differences emerge across more granular age categories—50-59, 60-69, etc—with implications for prevention. rockinst.org/blog/rethink...
Rethinking Older Men as Victims of Firearm-Involved Homicides: Differences Across Ages and Contexts | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Findings from a new study underscore the need to refocus homicide prevention efforts toward the contemporary realities of older men and the lives they actually live as opposed to outdated stereotypes ...
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Our latest look at the policy response to a boom in data center projects examines NY's EO 62, which places a temporary ban on new data centers, and other state legislation in NY addressing concerns around these facilities. rockinst.org/blog/pushing...
Pushing Back on the Cloud: The First Statewide Moratorium | Rockefeller Institute of Government
New York’s first statewide data center moratorium signals a major shift in how policymakers are responding to rapid data center growth.
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Yesterday, Massachusetts moved to restrict the sale of kratom by temporarily designating the drug as a Schedule I drug. See which other states have banned or restricted the sale of kratom on our Kratom Policy Dashboard. rockinst.org/issue-areas/...
Kratom Policy Dashboard | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Across the US, states are taking action on kratom through bans, potency caps, and sales restrictions.
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Get to know @ubalberticenter.bsky.social Director Amanda Nickerson in our latest member highlight. Her research focuses on gun violence prevention in schools. She takes a systems-oriented approach to this work & places an emphasis on translating research → practice. ► rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...
Since 2013, 29 states have passed permitless carry laws, which allow concealed carry of a firearm without a license or a background check. In our latest RGVRC blog, Susan T. Parker highlights findings from her recently published study examining the effects. rockinst.org/blog/guns-in...
Guns in Public: What Research Tells Us About Permitless Carry Laws | Rockefeller Institute of Government
A new study by RGVRC affiliate scholar, Susan Parker, finds that permitless carry laws are linked to higher firearm violence and reduced police enforcement of weapons laws.
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"I hope people who engage with my work take away a sense of the deep challenges that Black men who survive a gunshot wound face when seeking to heal from their injuries and the need for our modes of caring to rise to these challenges." Read the latest RGVRC blog 👇 rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...
RGVRC Member Highlight: William Wical | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Meet William Wical, an RGVRC affiliate scholar researching how Black male gunshot survivors experience healing, trauma, and care to inform more effective violence prevention efforts.
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Our latest Policy Outsider episode features an interview w/ Bridging the Divide on Firearm Policy, a coalition of stakeholders across gun rights/regs spectrum working to create a broadly supported policy roadmap to reduce gun violence & protect constitutional rights. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...
Ep. 129. Bridging the Firearm Divide | Rockefeller Institute of Government
On this episode of Policy Outsider, scholars with the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium showcase the work of Bridging the Divide on Firearm Policy, a coalition of stakeholders across the firea...
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Today, we're sharing a new resource from the RGVRC: the Global Mass Shooting Factsheet. Working with RGVRC member @jasonrsilva.bsky.social, who maintains the database, we've developed a high-level overview of 99 mass shootings from 2000-2025. Read the intro blog 👇 rockinst.org/blog/introdu...
Introducing the Global Mass Shooting Factsheet | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Mass shootings remain far more common in the United States, but new global data show these attacks are increasingly affecting countries around the world.
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On our latest Policy Outsider episode, Rockefeller Institute resident cannabis policy expert Heather Trela explains the SCOTUS ruling in US v. Hemani this morning and what questions remain unanswered for drug-using firearm owners. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...
Ep. 128. Tote or Toke: The SCOTUS Ruling in Hemani | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Rockefeller Institute resident cannabis policy expert Heather Trela explains how the US Supreme Court ruled in US v. Hemani and what questions remain unanswered for drug-using firearm owners.
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"My research focuses on Black men living w/ firearm-acquired disabilities. I want people to understand: this disability doesn’t arrive alone. It comes w/ lost wages, fractured relationships & a system never designed to support Black men in healing." rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...
RGVRC Member Highlight: Nazsa Baker | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Meet Nazsa Baker, whose research explores the long-term impact of firearm violence on Black male survivors and challenges how systems support healing and recovery after gun violence.
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Our latest blog provides an update on state legislative action to place moratoriums on data centers. rockinst.org/blog/updates...
Updates on the Cloud: More Moratoriums on Data Centers | Rockefeller Institute of Government
As data center expansion accelerates, states and local communities are increasingly considering moratoriums amid concerns over environmental, energy, and community impacts.
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Today, we published the final report from Phase I of this project to better understand mass shooters' pre-attack behaviors and communications. Consortium researchers built a database of more than 150,000 records across 171 shootings from '99 to '24. Read it 👇 rockinst.org/issue-area/s...
Sharing Information to Stop Mass Shootings—Final Report | Rockefeller Institute of Government
This report examines 171 mass public shootings in the United States between 1999 and 2024 involving 175 perpetrators with identifiable pre-attack warning behaviors and communications.
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States ramped up their efforts to address PFAS contamination in biosolids in 2025: liability protection legislation, study/research legislation, bans and moratoriums, disclosure requirements, and more. rockinst.org/blog/emergin...
Emerging State Regulations of PFAS for Biosolids | Rockefeller Institute of Government
As federal action stalls, states are accelerating efforts to regulate PFAS-contaminated biosolids through testing, restrictions, and bans.
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As New York looks to expand universal, affordable childcare, it will need to build its workforce of childcare workers and preschool teachers. Our latest analysis looks at who these workers are and potential policy strategies for expanding the workforce. rockinst.org/blog/support...
Supporting the Childcare and Preschool Workforce | Rockefeller Institute of Government
New York’s FY 2027 budget expands Universal Pre-K and childcare access, but success will depend on growing and supporting the early care and education workforce.
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Check out this episode of @rockefellerinst.bsky.social's The Policy Outsider podcast featuring @ctgualbany.bsky.social & @rockefellercollege.bsky.social's @milagasco.bsky.social & @kevindeliban.bsky.social on the existing & future roles of #AI in government rockinst.org/issue-area/e...
Ep. 126. Another AI Conversation | Rockefeller Institute of Government
On this episode of Policy Outsider, guests Mila Gascó-Hernandez and Kevin De Liban explore the existing and future roles of AI in government systems and the risks and opportunities associated with inc...
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"Mass public shootings are human behaviors that follow patterns, have identifiable precursors & occur within systems that can be made more/less responsive. That means they are at least partially preventable—and that’s what makes this research worth doing." rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-m...
RGVRC Member Highlight: H. Jaymi Elsass | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Meet H. Jaymi Elsass, whose research uses data and media analysis to challenge fatalism and identify ways to prevent and reduce the harm of mass public shootings.
rockinst.org
While the DOJ order rescheduling medical cannabis from Schedule I to III is relatively straightforward from a 30,000-foot perspective, when you get into the weeds, there remain substantial unanswered questions. rockinst.org/blog/the-rea...
The Realities of Rescheduling Medical Cannabis | Rockefeller Institute of Government
The recent rescheduling order issued by the Department of Justice is an important landmark in cannabis policy, but it creates a new set of policy considerations.
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Our latest: RGVRC Affiliate Scholar Christopher Strain shares his framework for thinking about how gun ownership shapes American political life and examines which policies that seek to address mass shootings are viable in the "gunocracy." rockinst.org/blog/underst...
Understanding Life in the Gunocracy: The Challenge of Addressing Mass Shootings in a Gun-Friendly Society | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Guns are woven into the fabric of American life, shaping our legal and cultural narratives and the function of our government. Still, there are threads we can pull that can reduce the number of people...
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The rapid increase in new and planned data centers is prompting policymakers at all levels of government to address energy costs, water use, and other concerns associated with these projects. Our latest brief documents the policy responses. rockinst.org/issue-area/c...
Clouds, Cables, and Megawatts: States and Localities Grapple with the Data Center Boom | Rockefeller Institute of Government
This policy brief explains the recent drastic increase in data center demand, examines how federal, state, and local governments are attempting to balance these competing priorities, and explores recent developments in New York State.
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How are local patterns of gun violence influenced by neighborhood structure? How do infrastructure changes affect these patterns? RGVRC's 6/2 webinar explores these issues through the lens of the I-81 Viaduct Project in Syracuse, NY. Learn more and register 👇 rockinst.org/rig-events/2...
Place Matters: How Neighborhoods Shape Patterns of Gun Violence | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Join the RGVRC for a timely discussion on how the built environment and community context intersect with gun violence.
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NEW NYS Assemblymember Gabriella Romero joins us for our series, "Freshmen Perspectives," and highlights accomplishments from her 1st term, what she hopes to get done next, and how her experience as a councilmember & public defender shapes her approach to lawmaking. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...
Ep. 127. Freshmen Perspectives: Assemblymember Gabriella Romero | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Freshman lawmaker for New York State's 109th Assembly District Gabriella Romero shares key accomplishments from her first-term, what she hopes to get done in subsequent terms, and how her time as a pu...
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Food-as-medicine programs integrate nutritious food into healthcare, reducing food insecurity and improving diets while showing promising health and cost benefits. Our latest Science Note explains how they work. rockinst.org/blog/science...
Science Notes: Food as Medicine | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Food-as-medicine programs integrate nutritious food into healthcare, reducing food insecurity and improving diets while showing promising health and cost benefits.
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Direct contracting for health insurance allows employers to cut out 3rd-party administrators & customize their health plans. There's some positive early evidence for this approach, but policymakers should monitor the impacts on the industry & the insured. rockinst.org/blog/direct-...
Direct Contracting for Health Services: Considerations for Policymakers | Rockefeller Institute of Government
Direct contracting lets large employers cut healthcare costs by working directly with providers, but policymakers should monitor whether this new(ish) approach to health insurance delivers reliable, e...
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In a new RGVRC blog, Justin Sola, Margaret Kelley, and Tara Warner argue for the importance of including the unique perspectives of women (especially mothers) in discussions around gun ownership, use, safety, and harm. rockinst.org/blog/the-car...
The Care-Centered Approach of Women Firearm Owners | Rockefeller Institute of Government
New research finds women’s growing firearm ownership—especially among mothers—is driven by care and responsibility, with financial stress increasing interest.
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On the latest episode of Policy Outsider, we explore the existing and future roles of AI in government systems and the risks and opportunities associated with increased integration of these new tools. Our guests are Mila Gascó-Hernandez and Kevin De Liban. rockinst.org/issue-area/e...
Ep. 126. Another AI Conversation | Rockefeller Institute of Government
On this episode of Policy Outsider, guests Mila Gascó-Hernandez and Kevin De Liban explore the existing and future roles of AI in government systems and the risks and opportunities associated with inc...
rockinst.org