Robyn Meeks

In many developing countries, electricity theft and unreliable service undermine both utilities and consumers. Robyn Meeks and colleagues examined an anti-theft initiative in Karachi, Pakistan, where bare distribution wires were replaced with insulated, aerial-bundled cables. The intervention sharply reduced illegal connections, increased the number of formal utility customers, and improved revenue recovery. Areas with the new cables also experienced fewer outages, increased household appliance use, and higher electricity consumption. While complaints about billing rose, overall service reliability improved. The study demonstrates that a relatively simple infrastructure upgrade can significantly enhance power sector performance and consumer welfare, providing a practical path for utilities in low- and middle-income countries that struggle with high losses and limited cost recovery.

Jennifer Lansford

Feeling supported matters for nearly every part of life. In a sweeping review and meta-analysis of 604 studies, Jennifer Lansford and colleagues examined how perceived social support—whether from parents, peers, teachers, or others—relates to human thriving. They found strong links between feeling supported and improved mental health and work performance, as well as benefits for physical health, education, and a lower risk of taking on new challenges. The analysis revealed cultural and developmental patterns too: social support mattered most for health and risk behaviors during childhood and adolescence, and educational benefits were greater in non-Western contexts. The findings underscore the importance of consistent, caring relationships in shaping long-term well-being and success across diverse cultures and life stages.

M. Kate Bundorf

Paying doctors equally for virtual and in-person visits can make a real difference in care. A new study co-authored by Kate Bundorf finds that state telehealth payment parity laws significantly expanded access to psychotherapy for workers with mental health conditions. Using insurance claims data from 2019 to 2021, the researchers found that patients received more therapy sessions and made fewer emergency department visits once parity rules took effect. However, the laws did not have the same effect on preventive care for those with chronic physical conditions. The findings suggest that payment parity can strengthen behavioral health access while highlighting the need for additional policies to expand preventive care through telehealth.

Robyn Caplan

In this episode of Sanford’s Policy 360 podcast: we’ll explore AI – from deepfakes to the growing importance of social media verification. Our guest Robyn Caplan is an Assistant Professor at Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy and is currently teaching a class on the transformation of media. Her latest research considers the blue-check verification process that is used on many social platforms. Duke Sanford faculty lead Anna Gassman-Pines hosts.

Bruce W. Jentleson, William Preston Few Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science at Duke University, has been appointed to serve a two-year term on the Committee on Conscience, which plays a key advisory role for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Read more about Jentleson's role.

Music journalist Liz Pelly visited Sanford to examine how streaming music has reshaped culture and creativity. Pelly, author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, engaged in a public conversation on her national best-selling book. 

Read more about Pelly's visit.

43 Duke students competed in the 2025 Sanford Cyber Cup, a one-day competition that places participants in the heart of a fast-moving national security crisis. Modeled after the Atlantic Council’s Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, the event pushes teams to think like senior policy advisors, briefing the National Security Council on how to respond when a cyberattack threatens critical infrastructure.

Read more about Sanford's 2025 Cyber Cup.

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green recently visited Sanford, where he met with faculty, staff, and students to share his vision for the future of public education in the state. Green, a double Duke graduate with degrees in political science, economics, and law, spoke with optimism and conviction about his five-year strategic plan, Achieving Educational Excellence, which outlines bold goals for making North Carolina’s public schools the best in the nation by 2030.

See more about Green's conversation.

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