Heath Prince’s article, “Macro-level Drivers of Multidimensional Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa: Explaining Change in the Human Poverty Index,” was recently published in the African Evaluation Journal.  Dr. Prince’s article builds on a paper he presented in March 2014 in Yaounde, Cameroon, at the African Evaluation Association‘s bi-annual conference.  In the article, Dr. Prince presents findings from panel data analyses of economic growth and human development interventions on multidimensional poverty metrics over a 20 year period in 47 Sub-Saharan countries.  You can read the article here via the AEJ website.

Research Associate Tara Smith traveled to Segovia, Spain, for the Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management’s (APPAM) annual International Conference The Decline of the Middle Classes Around the World? held from September 28-30, 2014 (co-sponsored with the National University of Distance Education, Faculty of Law, and the University of Maryland School of Public Policy).  She presented an original paper, co-authored with Rheagan Coffey, on September 29th titled Two-Generation Strategies for Expanding the Middle Class.  In this paper, the authors first define a two-generation framework and detail the growing two-generation research base and evidence on key framework components. Using the two-generation framework, the authors then examine the current policy and economic environments in the United States and the European Union, focusing particularly on Ireland, and highlight innovative and promising two-generation strategies.  While the research and evaluation evidence for many of these efforts is just beginning to develop, the authors conclude with recommendations for testing and expanding promising two-generation strategies that address multiple overlapping needs of families across the world and better promote academic and economic achievement for parents and children.

 Two-Generation Strategies for Expanding the Middle Class

Associate Director Heath Prince has been promoted to the position of Director at the Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.   Prince joined the Center as Research Scientist and Associate Director in 2012, where he has led research efforts in the areas of education and workforce development.

In making the announcement, LBJ School Dean Robert Hutchings said, “We are delighted that Dr. Prince will be taking over the direction of the Center, which focuses on some of the most important social policies and programs affecting current and future generations of Americans.  Its work is at the heart of critical 21st-century challenges of job creation, workforce development, and global competitiveness.”

Founded in 1970, the Center is the longest running center of research at the LBJ School.  In collaboration with a wide range of faculty members at the school and university, the center identifies and fosters creative solutions to challenging education, workforce, and social problems through applied research, policy analysis, and innovative program design.

“I am pleased to take on the leadership role at this long-lived and recognized center for human resource studies, and I am dedicated to furthering our mission and research goals articulated by our namesake, former Secretary of Labor Ray Marshall,” said Prince.

Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Prince served as a senior policy analyst for workforce development at the Center for Law and Social Policy in Washington, D.C. where he led several research projects and authored reports on workforce and economic development policy and practice.  His past roles also include senior researcher with Jobs for the Future where he worked on human capital development strategies, and adjunct lecturer at Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management.  He received a BA in International Affairs from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public, and his PhD in social policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University.

Heath Prince follows Dr. Christopher T. King, who held the position of Director since 1996.  King will remain at the Center as a Senior Research Scientist.

Ms. Patnaik traveled to Denver, CO to attend the 28th annual conference of the American Evaluation Association “Visionary Evaluation: For a Sustainable, Equitable Future – Evaluation 2014” held at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center from October 15-18, 2014.  She connected with fellow evaluators as well as funders in the education, workforce, and international development fields.  The conference is a community of evaluators and promises to be a good venue for future presentations of RMC’s work in program evaluation.  Ms. Patnaik also attended a full-day workshop on propensity score matching prior to the start of the conference.

Dr. Chris King traveled to Macon, GA, to participate in the Georgia Grantmakers Alliance’s Annual Summer Meeting held at the Middle Georgia State College campus on August 28, 2014, as part of a discussion of two-generation strategies with Dr. Ron Haskins, co-director of the Center on Children and Families at The Brookings Institution.  Dr. King’s presentation titled “Two-Generation Programs in Action: Lessons from Oklahoma & Elsewhere” highlights Tulsa’s CareerAdvance® Program and the many lessons learned from the program.  You can view his presentation here.

Dr. Christopher King was interviewed for Dan Zehr’s article in the 7/23/14 edition of the Austin American-Statesman that centered on the need for more workforce training programs for young workers and providing continuing adult-education in Texas.  You can view the article here.