Research and Publications

Faculty Research

New Research by LBJ Professor Erin Lentz Finds Official Global Food Insecurity Estimates Undercount Acute Hunger

A new research study led by Erin Lentz finds that the world’s leading system for classifying acute food insecurity systematically underestimates the true scale of global hunger. The research and analysis concludes that one in five people experiencing acute hunger may be going uncounted.

2026 Grawemeyer World Order Award Winner Explores the Connection Between Climate Change and Security

For his work to understand why climate change leads to negative security consequences in some places and not others, Joshua W. Busby, professor of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, will receive the 2026 Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. Busby presented these ideas in his book, “States and Nature: The Effects of Climate Change on Security.”

New ACLU Report Reveals Humanitarian Crisis of Rapidly Aging Prison Population

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs released Trapped in Time: The Silent Crisis of Elderly Incarceration today, a report exposing how U.S. prisons are failing to keep up with the rising number of aging people behind bars.

Faculty

	Yoojin Cha Education: MPP, Seoul National University; BA in Economics, Seoul National University Research Interests: Environmental Economics, Public Economics, Nonmarket Valuation Dissertation Title: The property market impacts of water pollution trading Email: eugene.cha@utexas.edu Website: https://www.yoojincha.com/ Curriculum Vitae
	Gretchen Ellis Education: BA in English, MBA -- UT Austin Research Interests: Housing policy Dissertation Title: Beyond Shelter: Understanding the Demographics and Housing Experiences of Texas’ Low Income Housing Tax Credit Residents Email: gretchenellis6@gmail.com Website: http://gretchenellis.com/ Curriculum Vitae
	Olivia R Enriquez Education: Bachelor of Science in Geology from Sul Ross State University; Professional Science Master's in Environmental Sustainability and Natural Resource Management from Texas Tech University Research Interests: Education policy, sustainability, climate change communication Email: olivia.enriquez@utexas.edu Website: https://sites.google.com/view/oliviaenriquez-kamara/about
	Vuong Hoang Education: Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Film and Media Studies Research Interests: Reproductive Health Policy, Abortion Policy, Gender Studies Email: vuonghoangngoc@utexas.edu Website: https://vuongngochoangwork.myportfolio.com/
	Anika Tasnim Hossain Education: Bachelor of Arts in English, BRAC University, Bangladesh; Master of Development Practice (MDP), University of Waterloo, Canada Research Interests: Gendered Agricultural Labor, Agri-Market Access and Barriers for Women, Socio-Economic Dynamics in Rural Economies Email: aanikatasnim2910@utexas.edu
	Andrew Igdal Education: BA In Physics BS In Economics NCSU associates in science cvcc Research Interests: Transmission infrastructure, energy efficiency, renewable energy Email: andrewigdal17@gmail.com Curriculum Vitae
	Celine Kim Education: Master of Public Administration, The University of Alabama; B.A. Political Science, The University of Alabama Research Interests: State and local policy design, K-12 education finance, electoral accountability Email: celinekim@utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celinegkim/
	Yongtae (Aaron) Kwon Education: M.P.P. Seoul National University; B.A. Seoul National University Research Interests: Environmental Economics, Environmental Justice, Policy Evaluation Email: yongtae.kwon@utexas.edu
	Jiyoon Lee Education: M.P.P, Seoul National University; LL.B, Sookmyung Womens' University Research Interests: Policy process, Agenda-Setting, Collaborative governance, Local government service delivery Email: jiyoonlee@utexas.edu
	Stephanie Leutert Education: B.A. International Affairs and Spanish Literature, Skidmore College; M.A. Global Affairs, Yale University Research Interests: Migration policy, transit migration, borders Email: stephanie.leutert@utexas.edu Website: https://www.strausscenter.org/person/stephanie-leutert/
	Jinhong Li Education: M.A., Political Science, Duke University; B.A., International Studies, University of Nottingham Ningbo China Research Interests: Domestic politics in foreign policy, international security, global governance Email: jinhong.li@utexas.edu
	Kate McArdle Education: B.S.E. in Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania; M.S.E in Software Engineering, University of Texas at Austin Research Interests: Policy process, racial justice in policing, social movements Email: kate.mca@utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katemcardle/ Curriculum Vitae
	Marilu Nuñez Palomino Education: MS. in Public and International Affairs; MS. in Accounting; BS.in Accounting Research Interests: Energy and Development, International Development, International Political Economy Email: marilununezp@utexas.edu Website: http://linkedin.com/in/marilununezp
	Eloy H. S. Oliveira Education: MPA - Columbia University Research Interests: Public Administration, Public HR practices, Performance Email: eloy.oliveira@utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eloyoliveira/
	Maddie Shorman Education: Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Political Science, University of Arkansas; Master of Arts in International Studies, University of Oklahoma Research Interests: U.S. foreign policy, religion, Latin America Email: mwilliams@utexas.edu Website: https://www.maddieshorman.com/ Curriculum Vitae
	Elaine Stokes Education: M. Ed. Education Leadership and Policy Research Interests: juvenile justice, criminal justice, education Email: elainestokes@utexas.edu
	Derek Sutter Education: Bachelor of Arts in International Studies; Master's in International Security & Foreign Policy and East Asian Studies Research Interests: Population policy; national security; bioethics Email: derekjsutter@utexas.edu
	Venkat Tirupati Education: BE - University of Mumbai, MSEE - Illinois Tech, MBA - MIT Sloan School of Management Research Interests: Energy Policy, Technology, Energy Economics Email: venkat.tirupati@my.utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/venkat-tirupati
	Sarah Traore Kane Education: B.S. in Civil Engineering; Master's in Environmental Conservation Research Interests: Water Policy Email: straore@utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtraore97/
	Ryan Van Wie Education: B.S. in International Relations from the United States Military Academy at West Point; Master of Public Policy from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Research Interests: Conventional deterrence, military readiness, US force posture Website: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Van-Wie
	Antonia Vazquez Education: M.A. in Economics, Universidad de San Andres, Argentina; B.A. in Business, UNICEN, Argentina Research Interests: Labor economics, education, mental health, and social policies affecting vulnerable populations Dissertation Title: Essays on Applied Microeconomics and Social Policy Email: antonia.vazquez@utexas.edu Website: https://www.antoniavazquez.com/ Curriculum Vitae
	Yuer Wang Education: B.S. in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning, UC Davis; M.S. in Environment and Sustainability & M.P.P., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Research Interests: Urban environmental policy and governance, community climate resilience planning, risk perception Email: yuerw@utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuer-wang-1a2241167/
	Ryan Williams Education: BA - Political Science and Russian - Texas A&M University; MA - Global Policy Studies - LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas; MA - Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies - University of Texas Research Interests: Emerging technology policy, global information disorder policy, AI and public affairs Email: ryan_t_w@utexas.edu Website: https://disinfo-policy.org/
	Liz Wong Education: Master of Global Policy Studies with a Certificate in Security Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Chinese Studies from the University of Mississippi Research Interests: Digital Authoritarianism, Information Warfare Website: https://lizwongresearches.github.io/
	Benjamin Yarckin Education: Master of Arts, International Security; Bachelor of Arts, Government and International Politics, George Mason University Research Interests: Security Studies, Urban Warfare, Deterrence Email: by@utexas.edu
	Chenxin Zhang Education: Master's in public administration, University of Southern California Research Interests: Nonprofit governance Email: chenxinzhang@utexas.edu
	Chunyang Zhang Education: M.A. in Computational Social Science, University of Chicago; B.S. in Supply Chain and Information Systems, Pennsylvania State University Research Interests: Energy Policy, AI/Technology Policy, Sustainable Supply Chain
	Yingxin Zhang Education: M.P.A. at Columbia University; B.A. in Business Journalism and Finance at University of International Business and Economics Research Interests: Gender and development, food security Email: yingxin.zhang@utexas.edu Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yingxin-zhang-22904a1b2/