April 27, 2023

Green Energy Relies on South American Lithium

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT POLICY/ COMMENTARY
The U.S. is moving towards green energy, but that transition requires a particular material: lithium. Erika Weinthal and co-author outline the challenges the U.S. will face when negotiating with South American countries over the world's largest lithium reserves. The governments of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile plan to strengthen state control over the industry and may seek partnerships with China instead.

(Photo: Pixabay on Pexels)

Foreign Policy

Frontline Clinicians' Engagement in Research Improves Patient Care

HEALTH POLICY
Medical research is constantly accelerating, but advances are only as valuable as the clinicians administering them. A study by Nathan Boucher and colleagues focuses on engaging frontline clinicians in the research process to optimize clinically relevant research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with VA Health Care System clinicians, identifying two themes: "Perceptions of Research" and "Characterizing Effective Engagement." The study found that engaging frontline clinicians in research can improve patient care by enhancing the usability of study findings and adoption into clinical practice.

(Photo: Nappy on Unsplash)

Journal of General Internal Medicine

Understanding Gender and Energy Key to Sustainable Development Goals

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT POLICY
Lack of energy access in poor rural areas of Africa and Asia disempowers women, hindering progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals for gender equality and universal access to modern energy. A new review by Subhrendu K. Pattanayak, Marc Jeuland and co-authors highlights gaps in knowledge about the relationship between gender and energy that could undermine progress towards these goals. The review recommends further research to focus on women as energy consumers and entrepreneurs, study how different energy services affect a broad range of empowerment outcomes, and move beyond binary definitions of gender and energy access to consider intersectional approaches.

(Photo: Sanford School of Public Policy)

Nature Energy

Data on Race and Geography is Key to Addressing Disparities in Child Welfare Resources

HEALTH POLICY/SOCIAL POLICY

Data is vital when determining how to help children in need, but not if that data is too broad. A new study by Christopher Wildeman and co-authors uses data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System to determine specific race/ethnicity and localized risks for children under 18. The results show significant geographic and racial/ethnic variation in the prevalence of child welfare events, including child protective services investigation, confirmed maltreatment, foster care placement, and termination of parental rights. These results can help pinpoint and eliminate disparities in child welfare resources.

(Photo: PixKetut Subiyanto on Pexels)

Children and Youth Services Review

Public Financing for Families in Nigeria Could Reduce Inequalities

HEALTH POLICY
Maternal and newborn mortality rates in Nigeria are high, and there are large socioeconomic inequalities in access to maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services. This study, co-authored by Gavin Yamey, aimed to estimate the health and financial risk protection benefits across different wealth groups in Nigeria if a policy of public financing of MNCH interventions were to be introduced. The study found that public financing would provide substantial health and financial risk protection benefits to Nigerian households and contribute towards reducing health and socioeconomic inequalities in Nigeria.

(Photo: Mauricio Bertoni on Pexels)

The Lancet Public Health

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Abdullah Antepli, Margaret Sullivan, Kenneth Dodge

3 Sanford Faculty Join American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Sanford’s Abdullah Antepli, Margaret Sullivan and Kenneth Dodge are among the Duke faculty members who have been elected as members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences for 2023. Read more about this prestigious award.

Meeks Announced as Visiting Fellow at Harvard Business School to Study Climate

Robyn Meeks, assistant professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy, has been announced as a Business in Global Society Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Business School’s Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society (BiGS). Read more about this announcement.

Gassman-Pines Distinguished Lecturer at University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sanford faculty member Anna Gassman-Pines recently delivered the keynote address at the Roberta Gassman Distinguished Lecture, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work. Read more about the lecture.

Congressional Testimony on Data Brokers

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce invited Justin Sherman, Senior Fellow & Research Lead on Sanford’s Data Brokerage Project, to testify as an expert witness. Learn more about the hearing.

Ways & Means Podcast:

Bringing Water to Thirsty Fields With Help From the Sun

In this episode of Sanford's Ways & Means podcast, hear about new research into how solar mini-grids could change lives for farmers in Ethiopia and why it matters for the climate. This is the fifth episode in the “Climate Change Solutions” series, looking at answers to the question of what can be done to help cool a rapidly heating planet.

Listen to the episode here.

Sanford School in the Media | Ways & Means Podcast | Policy 360 Podcast

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