Past Grants

Hilary Hoynes will direct the research and publications program of the Opportunity Lab. The lab will explore the causes and consequences of geographic disparities in income and growth and examine the extent to which a variety of public policies, such as tax incentives, economic development strategies, or investments in human capital, can improve the economies of distressed localities. The project’s findings will appear in a series of papers, policy briefs, and presentations for public officials.

Toshi Yoshihara will develop a set of competitive strategies to meet the challenges of China’s defense strategy and military modernization program. He will examine China’s defense economics and industrial base, develop a model of China’s defense budget and force structure, and employ the model to develop and test a set of possible competitive strategies. The project’s findings will appear in a report and a series of briefings.

Kimberly Kagan, James Dubik, Ketti Davison, Jennifer Cafarella, and Elsa Kania will identify the military lessons that the United States, Russia, and China are learning from contemporary conflicts. They will undertake research and conduct interviews to understand the lessons of ongoing conflicts and competitions in Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. They will also identify and critique the lessons drawn from those settings by American, Russian, and Chinese leaders. The project’s findings will appear in a series of reports and articles.

Luke Perez will research and write a book exploring the extent to which U.S. strategy has evolved to include support for religious freedoms abroad as one of its core objectives.

Nora Gordon and Carrie Conaway will research and write a book to help policymakers and school administrators improve the performance of schools by becoming better consumers of research, learning how to pose research questions, and developing internal analytical capabilities.

Rodney Andrews, Scott Imberman, Michael Lovenheim, and Kevin Stange will examine how colleges can best serve as engines of upward mobility for students from low-income backgrounds. They will make use of a large student-level dataset in Texas that records primary and secondary school performance; college attendance, course-taking, and performance; and employment and earnings of students. The project’s findings will appear in a series of reports, papers, and briefings for public officials.

Aaron Lobel will lead an effort to develop and broadcast public affairs programs in partnership with local networks in Muslim-majority countries. He will help produce a television series on Islam, science, and modernity; develop feature-length documentaries on Hezbollah and the Shia/Sunni jihadist nexus; partner with a Jordanian entrepreneur to develop a television series about Arab heroes who have fought the Islamic State and other extremist groups; and broadcast bilateral and trilateral town halls connecting audiences in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India to discuss areas of regional cooperation.

Greg Scarlatoiu will lead an effort to understand how North Korea manages the threat posed by information not controlled by the state. The committee will produce research on North Korea’s capabilities to deal with outside information, the inner workings of North Korea’s Propaganda and Agitation Department, and how the North Korean regime indoctrinates members of its military. The project’s findings will appear in a series of monographs, articles, and policy briefings.

Henry Sokolski and Harvey Rishikof will lead an effort to develop a framework for addressing the potential proliferation of long-range ballistic missiles and offensive satellite systems. They will commission research papers and convene a series of workshops to explore the feasibility of options to channel these competitions and then to cap or eliminate them. The project’s findings will appear in a series of papers, two reports, and an edited volume.