The Clark-Fox Policy Institute (CFPI) at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis has launched its inaugural Senior Policy Fellows pilot program, a new initiative aimed at accelerating the translation of academic research into actionable public policy that improves child and family wellbeing.
While universities produce a wealth of policy-relevant research, many scholars lack the training, time, or institutional support to move their findings into policy arenas. CFPI’s Senior Policy Fellows model is designed to address that gap by providing structured support for faculty to engage directly with policymakers, communities, and practitioners.
“Researchers are generating powerful evidence every day, but too often that knowledge doesn’t reach the people shaping policy,” said Jason Jabbari, assistant professor and inaugural faculty director of the Institute. “Our goal is to make policy translation easier, faster, and more equitable, while grounding that work in the lived experiences of families and communities across the St. Louis region.”
With institute support, fellows translate one area of their research into policy-relevant products, participate in community-facing translational events, and build sustained, two-way relationships with policymakers. The program emphasizes mutual learning, ensuring that policy realities inform scholarship just as research informs decision-making. Fellows’ work is amplified through CFPI’s dissemination channels and partner networks.
The inaugural cohort brings together scholars whose work addresses key policy challenges affecting children, youth, and families across health, justice, economic security, and immigrant integration:
- Dan Ferris (associate professor of practice) – Food Is Medicine: Connecting Community and Healthcare Systems
- Phillip Marotta (assistant professor) – Criminal Record Reform and Recovery among People with Substance Use Disorders
- Mitra Naseh (assistant professor) – Social and Economic Integration of Refugees in St. Louis
- Stephen Roll (assistant professor) – Guaranteed Basic Income as a New Model of Delivering Public Benefits
For fellows, the program provides a rare opportunity to engage policy audiences without stepping away from their core research commitments.
“Policy translation is a skill set that many researchers are never formally trained in,” said Stephen Roll, a member of the inaugural cohort. “This fellowship creates the time, tools, and relationships needed to ensure research can meaningfully inform policy conversations.”
The pilot year is intentionally designed as a proof of concept for a sustainable Senior Policy Fellows model. Insights from the inaugural cohort will inform the development of a competitive, application-based program in future years, allowing CFPI to expand support for researchers seeking to translate evidence into impact.
Beyond the faculty fellowship, CFPI’s broader strategy accelerates the translation of research findings into policy impact by expanding policy training for graduate students across the university and uplifting lived experiences and local expertise through community-engaged policy research.
CFPI will share outcomes from the Senior Policy Fellows pilot as the program unfolds and continue its collaboration with academic, policy, and community partners throughout the region.