IGCC Hosts UC Faculty Policy Fellows in Washington, D.C.
On May 18-22, 2026, the University of California Washington Center (UCDC) welcomed the second cohort of the Presidential Faculty Fellowship, an innovative program that brings UC faculty to the nation’s capital for immersive training on policy engagement, public scholarship, and translating research into real-world impact.
IGCC, which maintains offices at UCDC and whose experts frequently engage in the Washington, D.C. policy space, is a central partner in the program. On May 19, IGCC hosted a special session for the fellows with IGCC and UCDC leadership, researchers, and staff, together with the UC Office of Federal Governmental Relations (UC FGR). The session focused on practical strategies for strengthening the research-to-policy pipeline and highlighted the role of UC institutions in sustaining long-term engagement with federal decisionmakers.
IGCC associate director Lindsay Shingler, who led and moderated discussions throughout the day, highlighted IGCC’s longstanding commitment to bridging scholarship and policy practice.
“IGCC has always been dedicated to helping researchers engage with decisionmakers and broader public audiences,” Shingler said. “This fellowship gives faculty a unique opportunity to see how research enters policy conversations in real time and to return to their campuses with new skills, perspectives, and professional networks. We appreciate Dr. Golash-Boza’s invitation to be part of this program.”
The Presidential Faculty Fellowship program was created by UCDC Executive Director Tanya Golash-Boza, native of Washington, D.C., and a sociologist at UC Merced. Monica Varsanyi, vice provost for faculty affairs and academic programs with the UC Office of the President, was also in attendance.
Shingler moderated a panel focused on building influence beyond academia, featuring experts whose careers span research, government, and policy engagement. Panelists included Cecilia Farfán-Méndez, head of the North American Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime; Tai Ming Cheung, director of IGCC and a leading scholar of technology, security, and international affairs; and Andrew Reddie, associate research professor at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy and founder of the Berkeley Risk and Security Lab.
The panel examined how scholars can effectively communicate research to policymakers, build durable relationships across sectors, and maintain academic rigor while engaging in public-facing work. Farfán-Méndez emphasized the importance of grounding policy engagement in real-world challenges and building trust over time with government and civil society partners. Cheung highlighted the growing need for independent academic expertise in an era defined by rapid technological change and geopolitical competition, stressing the importance of understanding policy constraints and institutional dynamics in addition to producing rigorous analysis. Reddie focused on the importance of clarity and accessibility in policy communication, encouraging fellows to view engagement not as separate from research but as an extension of it. He noted that policymakers often operate under tight timelines, making concise, actionable insights especially valuable.
A second panel, supported through IGCC’s collaboration with UCDC, featured representatives from the University of California’s federal government relations team—Phillip Harman and Kent Springfield—who provided an overview of current developments in Washington D.C., and the University’s approach to federal engagement. They also discussed ongoing challenges facing higher education and research institutions, including shifting federal priorities, funding pressures, and increased competition for resources. Despite these challenges, they underscored the continued importance of university research to national priorities in health, economic growth, security, and innovation.
The 2025–26 cohort included nine distinguished scholars whose research spans public health, mental health, economics, political science, computer science, and immigration policy: Nakia Best (UC Irvine School of Nursing), whose work focuses on health equity; Nadia Brashier (UC San Diego), an expert on misinformation and belief formation; Jasmin Brooks Stephens (UC Berkeley), whose research examines suicide prevention and mental health disparities among Black youth; Alfredo González (UC Santa Barbara), a scholar of citizenship, race, and military service; Arpit Gupta (UC Santa Barbara), whose work explores equitable access to data and trustworthy AI systems; Seth Holmes (UC Berkeley), a physician-anthropologist studying migration and health inequality; Kathleen McGarry (UCLA), an economist focused on aging, caregiving, and public policy; Hannah Thompson (UC Berkeley and UC ANR Nutrition Policy Institute), whose research centers on nutrition and youth health outcomes; and Tom K. Wong (UC San Diego), a leading scholar of immigration policy and public opinion.
Following the success of the second class of UCDC Presidential Faculty Fellows, UCDC will welcome a new cohort to Washington at the end of the 2026–27 academic year.