UNC Charlotte Public Policy Students Attend 2025 Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM) Conference

UNC Charlotte had a great presence at this year’s 2025 APPAM Fall Research Conference. This conference is comprised of panels, roundtables, posters, student research, workshops, resource sessions and community gatherings.

Congratulations to those students that had the opportunity to participate in the conference not only as participants but as contributors as well. Here are just a few of the contributions our students made:

• Jennifer Beightley – organized a panel called “Impacts of a First, and Now Second, Trump Administration” where Dr. Lauren Azevedo in Public Administration and she presented their paper titled “Nonprofit Policies in an Anti-DEI Legislative Environment.”
• Mahzabin Fatema Kabir – presented her paper “Navigating Scientific Perceptions: How Socio-Economic Development Shapes Public Attitudes Across Developing Countries”, co-authored with Dr. Yang Cao.  Mahzabin also co-presented with Dr. Stephanie Potochnick, their paper “Settlement-Based Disparities in Latino/a Families’ Head Start Access and Enrollment”. Mahzabin also served as the session chair for the panel “Innovation Under Pressure: Policies, Shocks, and Spillovers.”
• Hina Chadhry – presented her research titled “Do Federal Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants Pay Off? An Empirical Analysis of Cost-Effectiveness Using an All-Hazards Portfolio Approach.” Hina also served as a discussant for two papers in the panel “Newcomer Students’ Pursuit of Higher Education in the United States: Examining Access and Returns.” She was able to contribute comments on research design and policy relevance, particularly regarding access and outcomes for newcomer and first-generation students.

Attending this conference gave our students the opportunity for academic and professional visibility. When a student attends a conference, especially in a role beyond participant—such as a presenter or panelist—they are demonstrating their commitment to their research.

Here is what some of our students are saying about the APPAM experience:

The best part about APPAM is the late-breaking round table discussions. I went to one called “Food Insecurity Research in Crisis” where we discussed with experts the ramifications of the US Department of Agriculture announcing they will not collect food insecurity data as part of the Current Population Survey for 2025, such as lost data, lost funding for food assistance programs, and increased food insecurity across the country. Much of the discussion centered around how we as researchers could try to collect our own data to fill this massive void. I also attended one called “Much More Than Funding: Policy Impact Through Philanthropy Partnerships with Research and Government” which included conversations around how to get your research funded, how to better partner with communities to make policy change, and how to talk about your work in a political environment that has polarized and even demonized certain words. Both discussions contained major implications for my research as a public policy scholar, and I made connections in those rooms that I would not have made otherwise. I’m really glad I had the opportunity to attend. – Jennifer Beightley

Overall the conference offered me with a great opportunity to engage with researchers across policy domains and to share findings that bridge disaster mitigation, equity, and public policy implementation. – Hina Chaudhry

APPAM 2025 was incredibly insightful. I had the opportunity to connect with scholars, practitioners, and policy experts across diverse fields. The conference offered valuable learning, inspiration, and networking opportunities—truly an enriching experience. – Mahzabin Fatema Kabir

The APPAM conference was an excellent environment for our students to come together and learn about emerging public policy issues. PPOL is appreciative of this opportunity.