News Releases & Featured Events

Woodrow Wilson Center to Host 'Metropolitan Governance' Book Launch Featuring LBJ Faculty Authors

kbattles — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:23:08 +0000

Event Details

Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 2:00pm

The Woodrow Wilson Center

The Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20004

The Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC will host a book launch on May 28 for "Metropolitan Governance in the Federalist Americas: Strategies for Equitable and Integrated Development", which features case studies by LBJ School Professors Robert Wilson and Peter Ward. Wilson and Ward also served as editors for the volume. The event will be hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Center's Comparative Urban Studies Project.

Despite rapid metropolitanization throughout the Americas and widespread interest in “megacities,” policy discussions about the governance structures needed to address public service challenges and citizen representation in the context of increasing inequalities are rare. This book provides original research and analysis of the principal metropolitan areas in six federalist countries of the Americas. The volume’s cross-national study shows that existing institutional structures and political systems impede collaboration among governments in metropolitan areas. Given disinterest on the part of federal governments, regional governments—states and provinces—seem to provide the most pragmatic bases for constructing metropolitan governments that are capable of efficiently delivering services. The panel will feature presentations by authors of five of the country case studies (Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the United States, and Venezuela), followed by commentary by two urban governance experts.

LBJ Students Hone Skills in Fels Public Policy Challenge

kbattles — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:09:54 +0000

Five graduating Master of Public Affairs students traveled to Philadelphia in March to compete against teams from eight other policy schools in the Fels Institute of Government’s second annual Public Policy Challenge. Their proposal was to develop a mobile phone app called Route360, which displayed real-time information on all Austin transportation alternatives from biking to driving to taking the bus or light rail.

“Working on our proposal, Route360, we had to move through all phases of the policy development process and produce a set of concrete deliverables,” said Lauren Waters. “For me, this represented an extension of the graduate school experience that I found very valuable.”

Coming up with a policy idea and presenting it to practitioners judging the teams helped improve students’ teambuilding and communication skills and forced them to confront practical issues, such as how to fund their project.

“The challenge does a great job of placing equal importance on the quality, financial feasibility, innovation, and implementation of your idea,” said Julie Lindsey.

The LBJ School team presented to two different panels and came close to making it to the final round of the competition. Students also had an opportunity to watch other schools’ presentations and meet students in those programs at a reception hosted by the University of Pennsylvania and on a tour of Philadelphia’s sites.

“I loved hearing their proposals and seeing first hand the wonderful initiatives and passion coming from the next generation of public servants,” said Lindsey.

Bryce Adams, another student on the LBJ team, echoed Lindsey.

“Meeting the other policy students was one of the best parts of the competition. It wasn't just a networking event--everyone was really interested in everyone else's projects and school life.”

Adams also had some advice for LBJ students participating in the challenge next year. He recommended they start earlier and actually start implementing their proposal as some of the other schools’ teams had done.

“Undertaking a challenge of this scope and import is not easy,” said Clinical Professor in Public Policy Practice Angela Evans, who advised the students. “Their willingness to put in many extra hours, over and above those required by their academic responsibilities, clearly demonstrated their commitment to each other and to representing the LBJ community. We can all take pride in their work.”

El Paso Alumni Happy Hour

mpotterbacon — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:29:15 +0000

Event Details

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 6:00pm - 7:00pm

GeoGeske

2701 N Stanton Street

El Paso, TX 79902

See map: Google Maps

RSVP NOW

Dean Robert Hutchings invites El Paso-area alumni to join him for a cocktail at Geo Geske, aka "G2," near the University of Texas at El Paso campus.

Please R.S.V.P. to Michelle Potter-Bacon/512-232-6141 if you plan to attend.

President and CEO of CARE USA to Deliver 2013 Convocation Address to LBJ School of Public Affairs

kbattles — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:52:57 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas, May 8, 2013 -- President and CEO of CARE USA Helene Gayle will deliver the convocation address on Saturday, May 18, to the 2013 graduating class of the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.

Since joining CARE USA, a leading humanitarian aid organization fighting global poverty, Gayle has led efforts to empower girls and women and to bring lasting change to poor communities. CARE’s poverty-fighting programs reached 122 million people living in poverty in 84 countries in 2012.

“I am delighted that Dr. Gayle has accepted our invitation to deliver the 2013 convocation address,” said Robert Hutchings, dean of the LBJ School. “As one of the world’s top leaders in the fight against poverty and HIV/AIDS, Dr. Gayle is a dedicated public servant whose career in both the government and nonprofit sectors sets a shining example for our new graduates.”

An expert on health, global development and humanitarian issues, Gayle has an MD from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Gayle previously spent 20 years with the Centers for Disease Control and also worked at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation directing programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues.

Named one of Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women,” Foreign Policy magazine’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers” and Newsweek’s top 10 “Women in Leadership,” Gayle has been featured by national and international media outlets. She has also published numerous scientific articles.

Gayle also serves on several boards, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Colgate-Palmolive Company, the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative and ONE. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Public Health Association, the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Gayle currently serves on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships and the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board.

Austin Alumni Chapter Annual Meeting

mpotterbacon — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:05:35 +0000

Event Details

Saturday, July 27, 2013 - 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Opal Divines

Penn Field, 3601 South Congress Avenue

Austin, TX 78704

See map: Google Maps

Join the Austin Alumni Chapter board at Opal Divine's in the private room for the 2013 annual meeting. All members are welcome to stop by as the Chapter celebrates its accomplishments, elects new board members, and sets the agenda for the 2013-2014 year. Your vote counts!

Austin Alumni Chapter 2013 Welcome Happy Hour

mpotterbacon — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:48:03 +0000

Event Details

Thursday, August 29, 2013 - 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Location To Be Determined

See map: Google Maps

Garry Davis, winner of 2012 Spirit of LBJ Award

The Austin Alumni Chapter invites students, faculty and staff to an all-LBJ community 2013 Welcome Happy Hour.

Thursday, August 29, 2013
 5:30 to 7 p.m. 

The Alumni Chapter will provide the tasty appetizers.  Cash bar.

Students: Bring your business cards so you can network with area alumni.

The Spirit of LBJ Award recipient will be announced.

Enter the raffle contest with fun prizes!  Raffle tickets are only $1 each or $5 for 7 tickets.   

Hope to see you there!

LBJ School Launches New Executive Master’s Degree in Public Leadership

kbattles — Fri, 03 May 2013 21:08:29 +0000

Visit the EMPL website.

The LBJ School of Public Affairs will admit the first class of students for its new Executive Master in Public Leadership (EMPL) program beginning in May 2014. This is the school’s first full degree program in executive education and the only program of its kind in Texas.

The EMPL program is designed to provide rising, mid-career professionals with the skills, application and learning environment to expand their career horizons and be more impactful as they move through their careers. The LBJ School will draw on the strength of its core faculty as well as high-level public policy practitioners to help professionals raise the bar on their own personal brand of leadership for the publics they serve.

Graduates of the program will join the powerful and influential professional network of more than 1,000 LBJ School alumni in Austin with ties throughout city offices, the Texas Legislature, state agencies and nonprofits.

“The LBJ School is making a commitment to executive and professional education with the advent of this degree program designed by leaders, for leaders,” said Robert Hutchings, dean of the LBJ School. “It is one of our highest priorities. By blending rigorous academic studies and practical learning, we hope to offer a unique learning experience that will prepare graduates to effect even more meaningful and lasting change in our society.”

The EMPL is a 32-credit-hour, 15-month program designed for intimate cohorts of 20. Courses will be held every other weekend, allowing students to maintain a full-time work schedule. The core curriculum is built around four themes that reflect the skills and thinking capacities needed for success as a senior leader: providing strategic direction through leadership; working with and leading people; business and operational acumen; and strategic awareness, communications and coalition building.

“In designing this program, the LBJ School created a task force of CEO-level alumni who helped identify program objectives and shape the core curriculum and focus of the program,” said Barry Bales, Assistant Dean for Professional Development. “We know that senior leaders need a mix of deep technical, analytical, management and leadership skills. This degree program will provide these building blocks to help senior leaders further develop the skills needed for success in a changing environment.”

The program will be open to applicants with seven or more years of professional experience in management and leadership positions. Applications for the charter class will be accepted beginning August 30, 2013, with the first cohort beginning classes in May 2014. For more information, visit: http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/empl

Nine LBJ School Graduates Published in Edited Volume on Nuclear Terrorism

jsykes — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:28:52 +0000

BY: Justin Sykes

Nine LBJ School graduates have authored chapters in an edited volume titled “Nuclear Terrorism and Global Security: The Challenge of Phasing out Highly Enriched Uranium.” The volume is the result of a policy research project (PRP) course taught by Associate Professor Alan Kuperman on nuclear nonproliferation.

As editor of the volume, Kuperman details ways of reducing the availability of bomb-grade uranium across the globe. He enlisted his students to study various countries’ approaches firsthand and used their research as the basis for his new book.

Kuperman has been interested in the topic of highly enriched uranium or HEU since his first job out of college in the 1980s at the Nuclear Control Institute.

“It was the combination of the ease of making a bomb with highly enriched uranium and the fact that this material was being used at very vulnerable facilities around the world that caught my attention,” said Kuperman.

The student authors, now graduates of the school, traveled as far away as China to conduct original research into successful efforts to phase out highly enriched uranium as well as remaining challenges related to its use, as part of Kuperman’s course. The project, which started out as a report for the Nuclear Threat Initiative, became a book when Kuperman saw the quality of the students’ work.

“My part was dividing up the pie into thirteen separate pieces of research, then sending the students out to investigate and write up their findings, and then editing at the end,” said Kuperman. “Once we had it, I thought this was pretty good!”

Students took the lead in finding experts to interview, setting up the appointments and arranging their own travels.

Jared Berenter, a graduate of the LBJ School and The University of Texas at Austin’s Latin American Studies program, traveled to Argentina to research the production of isotopes, which are used in medical imaging. While the world’s major medical isotope producers use highly enriched uranium to make these isotopes, Argentina converted its production facilities to use low enriched uranium or LEU.

“I wanted to find out what considerations drove Argentina’s conversion, whether the conversion was cost-effective and whether Argentina could serve as a model for LEU conversion by larger producers,” said Berenter.

To accomplish this, he visited the Ezeiza Atomic Center near Buenos Aires, where medical isotopes are made. Berenter interviewed officials at the facility as well as a former official from Argentina’s National Atomic Energy Commission, the regulatory body involved in oversight during the conversion process from HEU to LEU.

“My biggest takeaway from this project was gaining experience in integrating science and policy,” said Berenter. “This project helped me develop skills to inform policy with scientific insight and to make highly technical information accessible to a policy audience.”

Chloe Colby also participated in the PRP, conducting similar research at Pelindaba, a nuclear research center outside of Pretoria, South Africa. She focused on understanding how a subsidiary of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation overcame the political and economic pressure and technical obstacles associated with using low enriched uranium instead of highly enriched uranium.

“It’s probably the most impressive thing on my résumé,” said Colby.

Kuperman’s goal for the project was to give the students an assortment of research skills.

“I wanted every student to have the experience of doing all the pieces of the puzzle. That is, formulating a methodology, going out and doing interview research, writing up an initial draft, editing the draft and then finalizing it,” said Kuperman.

Being published authors is an additional perk for students who participated in the project.

“That is something I think could be very helpful when it comes to the job market,” said Kuperman. “If you’re going up for a job and you’re against someone else and they ask for writing samples and one person sends a term paper from college and the other person sends a book chapter that’s published, it’s got to give you a leg up.”

Kuperman also believes his students have a much greater understanding of current events related to North Korea and Iran.

“They can understand these issues in a way that the average student can’t,” said Kuperman. “When people are talking about Iran enriching uranium and what enrichment levels they’re enriching to and what the significance of that is for weapons, I don’t think most people understand those distinctions very well whereas the students who came through this certainly do.”

LBJ School Washington Program Enters Third Year

kbattles — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:23:51 +0000

The LBJ School Washington Program enters its third year with two summer graduate courses taught by nationally recognized practitioners as adjunct faculty.

Dr. Ruth Ellen Wasem, Legislative Specialist with the Congressional Research Service, will teach a course titled "Legislative Development: Moving from Ideas to Options to Legislation," where students will work through the process of transforming policy ideas into legislative language. David Berteau, an LBJ School alumnus and Senior Advisor and Director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, will teach a course titled "National Security: Congress vs The President," where students will examine the vitally important role Congress plays in U.S. national defense, particularly at the critical junctures of interaction between the legislative and executive branches, including the White House, Pentagon, State Department and other federal agencies and actors.

The LBJ School Washington Program was launched in May 2011 with two graduate seminars. The program will expand to include a larger number of summer courses and will eventually evolve into a full semester of courses to complement D.C.-based internships, career fairs, alumni events and other programs.

“Our rapidly growing Washington Program provides our students new academic and professional opportunities in our nation’s capital, and remains one of my highest priorities for the School,” said Robert Hutchings, dean of the LBJ School. “We look forward to the continued expansion of the program and to the many benefits our stronger presence in Washington will afford our students, as well as alumni and other professionals seeking continued education in public affairs and public policy.”

The LBJ School’s connection to Washington, D.C. goes back to its founding 40 years ago by the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. In addition to having strong roots in Texas, the LBJ School has long had a strong national and international presence. Hundreds of LBJ School alumni call D.C. home, occupying senior positions in the federal government, think tanks and many other institutions.

For more information on the program, including course descriptions, visit the Washington Program Overview.

LBJ School Hosts Conference and Colloquium on Digital Inclusion in Texas April 26-27

kbattles — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:10:46 +0000

Event Details

Friday, April 26, 2013 (All day) - Saturday, April 27, 2013 (All day)

LBJ School of Public Affairs, Bass Lecture Hall

2315 Red River Street

Austin, TX 78705

See map: Google Maps

Registration and a $50 registration fee is required. The fee will be waived for University of Texas at Austin faculty, students and staff.

LBJ School of Public Affairs’ Technology and Public Policy Program, and the University of Texas at Austin’s Telecommunications and Information Policy Institute are proud to present Digital Inclusion in Texas, a conference and colloquium. The conference will bring together noted scholars, representatives of federal, state, and city government, and nonprofit advocacy organizations to address gaps in broadband adoption throughout the United States.

Whether applying for jobs, paying bills, keeping up with current events or just shopping for a new shirt, the need for broadband Internet is critical to participation in today’s society. Yet 20 percent of U.S. citizens lack a connection to high-speed Internet. This conference seeks to kickstart a conversation that could improve public policies that address this digital divide and increase the reach of broadband, particularly in areas that currently lack access or are reluctant to use this important resource.

Conference panelists will discuss the impact this lack of access to broadband has had on the nation’s economy, education and citizens’ ability to interact with the world around them. Students in an LBJ School-sponsored Policy Research Project class will also present the results of a year-long study examining broadband usage in public spaces throughout Texas.

Conference participants will come away with a better understanding of what causes the digital divide in this country, whom it affects and how other nations have addressed bridging the gap.

The conference will have two components: Public Access to the Internet in Texas on April 26 and The Gary Chapman Colloquium on Communities and Computing on April 27.

Panel themes include: Public Access to the Internet; Collaborating to Achieve Digital Literacy; The Future of Public Internet Access; The Impacts of Public Computer Centers; Federal Policies and their Impacts on Access to Broadband Internet Connections.

Digital Inclusion in Texas is sponsored by: Technology for All and the Texas Connects Coalition, Connected Texas, the City of Austin, the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs’ Technology and Public Policy Program, and the University of Texas at Austin’s Telecommunication and Information Policy Institute.

LBJ School Partners with Texas Tribune on Health Care Symposium

kbattles — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:51:06 +0000

The Texas Tribune is partnering with The University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs for the next installment of Texas Tribune Festival’s “On The Road” series, titled “Health Care.” The daylong symposium will cover major issues in health care policy in Texas and will include discussions about the Affordable Care Act, women’s health, cost containment and the impact of technological innovation on medicine. In addition to several LBJ School alumni who will be speaking on panels, LBJ School Professor David Warner, a health care policy expert, will be moderating a panel on cost containment.

WHAT: Texas Tribune Festival’s “On The Road: Health Care”

WHEN: Thursday, April 25
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

WHERE: LBJ School of Public Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin
2315 Red River St.
Austin, TX 78712

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Participants include Kyle Janek, executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services; state Reps. John Zerwas (R-Simonton) and Garnet Coleman (D-Houston); state Sens. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) and Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels); Tom Suehs, former executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services; Michelle Berger, president of the Travis County Medical Society; Dan McCoy, interim chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas; Anne Dunkelberg, associate director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities and LBJ School graduate (’88); Billy Hamilton, former deputy comptroller of Texas and LBJ School graduate (’75); Joseph Potter, faculty research associate at The University of Texas at Austin’s Population Research Center; Brett Giroir, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives at the Texas A&M University System; Nora Belcher, executive director of the Texas e-Health Alliance; and Jesus Garza, president and CEO of Seton Healthcare Family, LBJ School graduate (‘77), and LBJ School Advisory Council member.

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 22. Submit your registration via email to rsvp@texastribune.org or by calling 512-716-8641. A complimentary breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public media organization whose mission is to promote civic engagement and discourse on public policy, politics, government and other matters of statewide interest.

For more information, contact Kerri Battles, Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs, 512-232-4054, kerribattles@austin.utexas.edu; Maryam Brown, 512-382-9017, Maryam@giantnoise.com.

Full Schedule:

8 - 8:30 AM: Complimentary breakfast

8:30 AM: Welcome by BILL POWERS, president of the University of Texas at Austin, and introduction by EVAN SMITH, CEO and editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune

8:40 - 9:30 AM: Health Care and the 83rd Legislative Session

State Rep. GARNET COLEMAN, member of the House Public Health Committee, and state Rep. JOHN ZERWAS, member of the House Human Services Committee. Moderated by Evan Smith, CEO and editor in chief, The Texas Tribune.

9:45 - 10:45 AM: Texas and the Affordable Care Act

State Rep. GREG BONNEN, physician; ANNE DUNKELBERG, associate director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities; BILLY HAMILTON, consultant and former deputy comptroller of Texas; and JOHN DAVIDSON, health care policy analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Moderated by Becca Aaronson, reporter, The Texas Tribune.

11 AM - Noon: Is Cost Containment Possible?

DAN MCCOY, chief medical officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas; TOM SUEHS, former executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services; MICHELLE BERGER, president of the Travis County Medical Society; and JESUS GARZA, president and CEO of the Seton Healthcare Family. Moderated by Dr. DAVID WARNER, Professor of Public Affairs and Wilbur J. Cohen Professor in Health and Social Policy.

Noon - 12:30 PM: Break and complimentary lunch

12:30 - 1:30 PM: A Conversation With the Commissioner

A sit-down with Evan Smith and KYLE JANEK, executive commissioner of Texas Health and Human Services

1:45 - 2:45 PM: Technology and Innovation in Medicine

BRETT GIROIR, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives for the Texas A&M University System; NORA BELCHER, executive director of the Texas e-Health Alliance; CHAD SHEPLER, director of partnerships for DocbookMD; and JOHN MASON, chief information officer of St. David's HealthCare. Moderated by EMILY RAMSHAW, editor, The Texas Tribune.

3 – 4 PM: The State of Women’s Health

State Rep. BRYAN HUGHES; state Rep. SARAH DAVIS, member of the House Public Health Committee; JOSEPH POTTER, professor of sociology and faculty research associate for the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin; and AMY HAGSTROM MILLER, founder, president and CEO of Whole Woman's Health. Moderated by Emily Ramshaw, editor, The Texas Tribune.

4 PM: Program concludes

'Dillo Cup 2013

mpotterbacon — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:43:39 +0000

Event Details

Saturday, April 20, 2013 - 11:00am - 1:00pm

Texas A & M

Bee Creek Park 1900 Anderson

College Station, TX 77840

See map: Google Maps

Alumni/staff/faculty game at 11 a.m.
Student game at 12:30 p.m.
BBQ lunch served at 12:30 p.m.

COST: It's free! The Bush School is covering lunch. We have a few extra t-shirts to sell and will send more information about those once we know who plans to play/attend. We also plan to help facilitate carpooling for those who are interested.

Please let us know if you have any questions. We hope to have many of you join us on April 20!

Hook 'em,
Amy Madore and Kasey Klepfer

LBJ School Study Finds Promising Job Opportunities in Several Austin Markets

kbattles — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 16:02:59 +0000

View the Report

A recent study conducted for the Austin Area Research Organization by the LBJ School's Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources found that many jobs requiring less than a bachelor’s degree and offering attractive wages and good career prospects are available in a number of growth sectors in Central Texas. These jobs would provide excellent opportunities for large numbers of individuals who have some college but currently lack a degree or certificate.

More than 200,000 Austin-area residents over the age of 25 have some college experience but lack a degree or certificate to qualify for current and projected career pathways. Equipped with sub-baccalaureate credentials, these individuals can expect better career opportunities and lifetime earnings. Central Texas can benefit from returns such as higher tax revenues and reduced social services costs and local employers will gain a better-qualified workforce.

The Austin Area Research Organization (AARO), a group of local business and community leaders, contracted with the LBJ School’s Ray Marshall Center to conduct research for the Workforce Potential Project (WPP). WPP aims to increase the number of Central Texas residents with credentials to enable them to obtain well-paid jobs. The research focused on jobs that require less education than a baccalaureate degree and pay $18 per hour or more. In the Austin area, this wage would enable a single parent with two children to become economically self-sufficient. The Ray Marshall Center analyzed labor market data and identified 17 occupations that meet AARO’s education and wage criteria in four major industry sectors: Health and Life Sciences; Information Technology; Trades; and Administrative and Related. Researchers conducted interviews with employers, educators, and labor market experts to investigate occupational prospects and employer hiring practices.

Austin Community College offers training and education in almost all of these occupations. The outlook for continued demand in the specified jobs in the future is favorable. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the 17 targeted jobs will produce 2,720 openings annually through 2018.

An associate’s degree alone is often not sufficient to gain employment in the targeted occupations. Specialty skill certifications are needed in some occupations and work experience is commonly required to secure employment. Employability skills, such as good work habits and attitudes, are essential to securing nearly any good job in the area.

Implementing recommendations of the WPP is expected to result in improved career opportunities, increased personal incomes, and increased tax revenues in the region. An economic model developed by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) and adapted for use locally by NCHEMS and the Ray Marshall Center estimates that by the year 2025, WPP could increase total incomes by $432 million (after taxes). Boosting associates degree and certificate holders by 30,000 by 2025 would increase local tax revenues by around $45 million.

The path forward requires a community commitment by educators, employers, and policymakers to improve the human capital of area residents. Central Texas businesses can provide direct support for education and supportive services and pledge to consider qualified residents on a priority basis. Employers can contribute by providing opportunities for work experience, being flexible with schedules, hiring local residents, and collaborating with ACC.

Students from LBJ, Cockrell and McCombs Schools Team Up to Win Energy Challenge

jsykes — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:57:46 +0000

A multidisciplinary team including an LBJ School Ph.D. student recently won first place and a $10,000 award in the Power Across Texas Energy Innovation Challenge. As part of the competition, teams developed proposals to bring power to colonias, unincorporated neighborhoods with inadequate infrastructure and substandard housing across Texas’ border with Mexico.

The winning team proposed a sun-to-grid model in which solar installations would temporarily provide electricity until colonia households could connect to the more reliable energy grid. The team was made up of Carlos Olmedo, a Ph.D. student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, Charles Upshaw, a Ph.D. student at the Cockrell School of Engineering, and Patricia Varraveto, a second year MBA student at the McCombs School of Business. Dr. Fred Beach, a research associate and lecturer with the Jackson School of Geoscience’s Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy, who also holds a Ph.D. from the LBJ School, acted as the team’s advisor.

From left: Carlos Olmedo, Charles Upshaw and Patricia Varraveto

The three University of Texas at Austin graduate students had never met prior to working on their proposal, but were able to divide the work for the competition based on each student’s expertise. Olmedo has conducted field survey work in colonias over the past three years on behalf of LBJ School professor Dr. Peter Ward.

For the Energy Innovation Challenge, Olmedo developed colonia baseline characteristics and a mixed-methods and spatial approach to identify households without electricity since there is no database on the extent of need. Upshaw tackled the tiered electricity service and solar PV technological aspects, while Varraveto offered a way for families to affordably finance solar installations while building equity to pay for grid connectivity and bring homes up to code for connection.

“It’s a practical solution for colonia populations designed to attract private-based social investments,” said Olmedo. “It was great to know that our hard work paid off in terms of both winning and creating a solid proposal.”

Since the competition, Olmedo said there is continued interest and discussion about finding a social-impact investing solution to electrification of colonia homes. Principal advocates from Power Across Texas, NADBank, SunEdison and AEP/ETT, alongside the UT student team members, have formed work groups to turn the sun-to-grid idea into reality. Next steps include better understanding energy use and expenses in colonia homes, designing systems suited to colonia needs, and soliciting funding.

State Representative Gene Wu on Running for Office and the Greatest Policy Challenges Facing Texas Today

kbattles — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:58:40 +0000

Freshman Texas State Representative Gene Wu has made a reputation as a staunch advocate for reforming education finance and modernizing the criminal justice system in the few short months that the 83rd Texas Legislature has been in session. A graduate of the LBJ School (MPAff 2004) and a former Prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s office, Wu holds the seat for Houston’s District 137. As a dedicated community leader, Wu tutors at-risk youth in programs in his district, mentors adults in the Skills for Living Program, and assists residents in their pursuit for United States citizenship through Neighborhood Centers, Inc. You can follow along as Wu advocates for reforms in education, health and human services, and criminal justice at http://genefortexas.com or on Twitter @genefortexas. We asked Wu to share his thoughts on the greatest policy challenges facing Texas and the U.S. and his inspiration for running for office.

Q: What do you think are the greatest policy challenges we're facing as a state and nation?

The honest answer is there's no one single thing. Everything is an impending crisis. There's a crisis in water. There's a crisis in roads. I think we have a massive issue in education. But if you want me to break it down for you, the best way to summarize it is that we have a competitiveness problem. America is a great place to live because for so long we've towered over the rest of the world in terms of commerce, education, and everything we do that keeps our competitive advantage. But the world is not a sprint, the world is marathon. And just because you are in the lead does not mean you'll stay in the lead. In a footrace, if you're keeping a good pace, but those behind you are accelerating, they're closing the gap and they might overtake you. If we want to keep our lead, we need to keep accelerating before the rest of the world can catch up. At some point, I hope we realize that.

The problem with our nation – the problem with our society – is we're a relatively young society. We're a society that reinvents itself every 20 years, and we're a society with very short-term memories and very short-term goals. In looking at public policy, you see a lot of things that make sense in the short-term, but what about 15, 20, 25, 30 years down the line? How is that going to effect us then? The way we deal with crime, with education, with our energy policy and environmental policy, women's health, Child Protective Services – it'll save money in the short-run, but in the long run this is going to hurt. I know we want to see immediate results. We want to see immediate consequences or benefits from our actions, but if you look down the line, our decisions should always be what is best in the long-term and not what is best just for tomorrow.

Q: What has been the biggest surprise you've encountered as a new member of the Texas State Legislature?

I think what surprised me is that you have people who are very passionate about areas you would not expect. For example, Representative Tom Craddick is very passionate about regulating payday loans because he understands the impact it has on his community and how much working class people suffer because of it. Representative John Davis is not an attorney, but he is a huge proponent for indigent counsel programs like Lone Star Legal Aid, because he understands that people need legal assistance when they're facing a life crisis. You have women who are abused and need to be divorced from their abusive husbands, but they have no means to do that. We can't keep them in that situation. There have been many other situations like that where I was surprised at who was championing a cause and realized that these issues aren't based along party lines. These people really are here because they care. I'm very pleasantly surprised by that.

Q: What led you to decide you wanted to run for such a high level position?

This is actually something I've always wanted to do – running for state rep. But LBJ School Lecturer Sherri Greenberg was the catalyst. I took her state government class and I really enjoyed it. In fact, she brought in a lot of people to talk to us that I've met here again. She started that spark of 'Hey, this is the place to go.' It's quite an adventure and there are a lot of things you can do to change the world, to make life better for people, and I truly believe in that. I think that was dormant for a little bit until after I was a little more settled. When I learned my predecessor, Scott Hochberg, decided to step down, I said this is what I've been waiting for. This is what I've been building myself up for all these years. I'm ready for this now. Let's do it.

Q: How did your LBJ School degree influence your career path?

Back when I worked in the housing department at the University of Texas at Austin, I was chatting with friends and we started talking about our interests and what we wanted to see out of the world. My friend told me these amazing things about this program she was in at the LBJ School. I thought, 'That’s what I want to do.' Right then and there, I knew that was what I wanted because it encapsulated everything I wanted out of life – the opportunity to learn how to change the world. That was very meaningful to me and I applied within the month.

The LBJ School made me work for a lot of government agencies. That laid the foundation for me and since then I've always chosen career paths that serve a greater purpose than merely providing me with an income. I've worked for the Governor's office, the Workforce Commission, the legislature, the District Attorney’s office, The University of Texas at Austin, and Texas A&M. So I think LBJ helped keep me on that path and opened up new doors for me in terms of helping people. And even when I went to law school, most of the places where I interned or clerked were government agencies – the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Court of Appeals, U.S. Attorney's Office, Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Condoleezza Rice Speaks About Leadership, Iraq War, Education During Dual Appearances at LBJ School

kbattles — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:50:07 +0000

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke twice at the LBJ School of Public Affairs on March 18 on a variety of topics ranging from the anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, to leadership, education, health care and international development.

Dr. Rice first addressed LBJ School students in a small, fireside chat-style event where she took questions from the audience in an open Q&A session pictured left.

Later that evening, Dr. Rice spoke to a capacity crowd in the Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium at an event co-sponsored by the LBJ School and the LBJ Presidential Library. Library Director Mark Updegrove opened the event. LBJ School Dean Robert Hutchings introduced Dr. Rice.

In her remarks, Dr. Rice touched on the importance of education to her personally and to our nation as a whole, her experiences living through the events of 9/11 as the National Security Advisor and many other policy and personal insights from her long career.

After her formal remarks, Dr. Rice answered questions from LBJ School graduate students and undergraduate Next Generation Scholars from The University of Texas at Austin. Topics included the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated sector, nuclear proliferation, the Arab Spring and international development.

Dr. Rice spoke openly about the Iraq war, stating that if given the chance to do things differently, she would still work to overthrow Saddam Hussein. Dr. Rice admitted that there were mistakes made during the rebuilding process, citing a greater need for military and civilian cooperation. In retrospect, building from the countryside toward Baghdad as opposed to starting with Baghdad and building out would have been the better strategy.

Justin Sykes, a first-year Master of Public Affairs (MPAff) student at the LBJ School, was among the students who prepared questions for Dr. Rice.

“Dr. Rice gave a much broader speech than I expected, covering not just foreign policy but also economics, education and her own personal story," said Sykes. "I was especially impressed by her responses to the student questions. She tried to connect with each student on a personal level.”

Kelsey Hawley, a second-year Master of Global Policy Studies (MGPS) student, was also among the students to pose a question.

“I appreciated her point about maintaining America’s promise, that it should not matter where you came from but what you make of yourself,” said Hawley. “Her theme throughout the talk was that today’s headlines and history’s judgment are rarely the same. The theme tied her discussion on national security, comprehensive immigration reform, education reform and foreign policy together well.”

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirms Iraq War support on eve of 10th anniversary - The Daily Texan, March 19, 2013

Former Secretary Rice in Longhorn Country - The Baines Report (LBJ Journal), March 19, 2013

Condoleezza Rice Discusses Iraq War on the 40 Acres - The Alcalde, March 19, 2013

LBJ School Workshop on “Reinventing Diplomacy,” May 10-11, 2013

kbattles — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:26:49 +0000

The LBJ School of Public Affairs will host a workshop on "Reinventing Diplomacy" May 10-11. The purpose of the workshop will be to commission a set of clear and focused case studies of instances of successful international diplomacy.

Invited conference participants will collectively examine the planned case studies, covering a wide range of periods and geographies since the early twentieth century. Each invited participant will present a case study along with a supporting manuscript. The goal of the conference is to gain a better understanding of what successful diplomacy looks like.

The event is closed to invited participants but an edited volume of papers will be forthcoming.

This conference is part of the Reinventing Diplomacy program, a multidisciplinary initiative that draws on the teaching and research expertise of the LBJ School of Public Affairs, College of Liberals Art and School of Law at The University of Texas at Austin. The goal of the program is to inform, inspire and challenge top students in the study of diplomacy as a historical, contemporary and career subject.

'Secession Redux: Lessons for the EU' Conference to Focus on Emerging Secessionist Movements, March 1

kbattles — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:56:25 +0000

LBJ School Associate Professor Alan Kuperman will lead a conference on the emergence of secessionist movements in the European Union on March 1. 'Secession Redux: Lessons for the EU" will focus on assessing the lessons learned from recent US and EU policy regarding unilateral secession in two countries: the former Yugoslavia and Georgia. The event is free and open to the public.

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Q: How did your LBJ School degree influence your career path?

Condoleezza Rice Speaks About Leadership, Iraq War, Education During Dual Appearances at LBJ School

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LBJ School Workshop on “Reinventing Diplomacy,” May 10-11, 2013

'Secession Redux: Lessons for the EU' Conference to Focus on Emerging Secessionist Movements, March 1