Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation Commons^™

From National Science Think Tank To National Science And Technology Think Tank: Evolution And Future Prospects Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences As Think Tank, Xia Feng, Chunliang Fan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Since its establishment, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has continuously fulfilled the functions of a national science think tank. In the new stage of development, it has been entrusted with the higher mission of serving as a “national science and technology think tank”. On the basis of clarifying related concepts such as science think tanks and science and technology think tanks, this study reviews the historical development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as a science think tank, analyzes the needs and challenges for its role as a national science and technology think tank in the new era, and puts …

Decade Review And Prospect Of New-Type Think Tanks With Chinese Characteristics—Based On Practice And Enlightenment Of High-End Think Tanks In Social Sciences, Ping Li, Wanyue Hou, Hongwei Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Reviewing the decade-long journey of building new-type think tanks with Chinese characteristics, under the guidance of national strategies, China’s think tank system has undergone a sequential evolution from top-level design and concept establishment, to system construction and comprehensive advancement, and finally to functional deepening and quality enhancement. It has achieved a phased leap from scale expansion to connotative improvement, fostering a healthy ecosystem where various comprehensive think tanks, professional think tanks, enterprise think tanks, and social think tanks develop with differentiated yet complementary and collaborative manner. This has realized a fundamental shift in the decision-making support function from “peripheral advice” …

Social Think Tanks In China: Ten-Year Review And Development Prospects, Jinlian Zheng, Zhiguang Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Over the past decade, in response to national top-level design, social think tanks in China have undergone a historic transformation from scale expansion to quality enhancement, and from marginal exploration to mainstream participation. As a key component of the new-type think tank system with Chinese characteristics, social think tanks have played an irreplaceable role in policy consultation, innovative governance, and public diplomacy. This study systematically summarizes the development status of social think tanks over the past ten years, deeply analyzes the multiple challenges faced currently, and charts the course for their future development. It proposes pathways for promoting their high-quality …

Decade Of Local Think Tank Development In China: Retrospective And Prospective Analysis, Xiangzhi Zhou

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Since mid-2015, when the CPC Central Committee and State Council issued “Opinions on Strengthening the Building of New-type of Think Tanks with Chinese Characteristics”, local think tanks in China entered a decade of rapid growth, divided into three phases: initial exploration, deepening differentiation, and quality innovation. A preliminary system has been established, with progress in institutionalization and demonstrated impact. Nevertheless, challenges persist, such as narrow vision, underutilized advantages, regional imbalances, low professionalization, and weak support. Future efforts should focus on improving the system, optimizing functions, emphasizing localized research, strengthening organized research, accelerating digital transformation, advancing scientific methods, and fostering an …

New-Type Think Tank Construction In State-Owned Enterprises: Historical Evolution, Current Challenges, And Optimization Paths, Jihai Huang, Jinpei Jia

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

As a vital pillar of the new-type think tank system with Chinese characteristics, new-type think tanks in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are undergoing a critical leap from being established to becoming strong. Based on in-depth investigations and thematic discussions with a number of representative new-type SOE think tanks, this study systematically reviews their historical evolution and achievements, analyzes the practical challenges they face going into the 15th Five-Year Plan period, and proposes optimization paths. The study finds that the development of new-type SOE think tanks has progressed through four sequential stages: foundation building and emergence (1949–1978), initial exploration (1979–2012), rapid growth …

From Indicators To Systems: Logical Evolution, Practical Challenges, And Policy Recommendations Of Think Tank Evaluation In China, Gang Li, Zihao Ge

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Over a decade has passed since the issuance of the “Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of New Types of Think Tanks with Chinese Characteristics”. During this period, the number of think tanks in China has continued to grow, and evaluation activities have evolved from spontaneous exploration to institutionalized practice. Examining think tank evaluation from both the supply and demand sides of think tank development, this study systematically reviews the practical progress and theoretical exploration of think tank evaluation in China over the past decade. Building upon an analysis of the conceptual connotation of think tank evaluation, the study argues that …

Responsible Think Tank Research: Concepts, Principles, And Practical Pathways, Zhenyu Wang, Rui Li, Xiao Lu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Against the backdrop of increasingly complex national governance, the core challenge facing the development of new-type think tanks with Chinese characteristics is shifting from merely “producing outcomes” to “delivering high-quality outcomes responsibly”. This study proposes the concept of “responsible think tank research,” aiming to transform responsibility from an abstract ethical appeal into a systematic norm embedded throughout the entire process of think tank research. The study constructs a three-dimensional analytical framework centered on “national responsibility, scientific responsibility, and social responsibility”, and systematically elaborates the theoretical foundations and value orientations of responsible think tank research. Drawing upon and comparing international experiences …

Characteristics And Influencing Factors Of Think Tank Talent Development, Yongna Yuan, Xuejiao Zhao, Yingming Li, Shimin Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The development of think tank talent has become a fundamental pillar for enhancing the quality of China’s new-style think tanks with Chinese characteristics. On the tenth anniversary of the establishment of China’s new-style think tanks with Chinese characteristics, this study conducts an empirical analysis of the growth patterns, basic characteristics, and influencing factors of think tank talent in China, based on data from 187 valid questionnaires collected by the Think Tank Talent Development Alliance. The study finds that think tank talent in China can be categorized into three types: the “capability accumulation” type, the “stable development” type, and the “senior …

Is Science Still An Endless Frontier? —Past And Future Of U.S. Science Policy Through Lens Of Social Contract Of Science, Chunliang Fan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

This study analyzes the evolution of the relationship between science and government in the United States through the lens of the social contract of science. It proposes a five-dimensional framework covering legitimacy, institutional support, autonomy, functional expectations, and responsibility, and identifies three historical stages from 1945 to 2024, followed by recent policy changes since 2025.The findings suggest a shift from a science-centered, cognition-driven model to a mission-oriented model shaped by national competition and technological capacity. This transition is marked by more concentrated resource allocation, stronger alignment with industrial and security policies, and growing pressure on basic research. Overall, the postwar …

Building Cultural Wealth: A Look Into The 40x40 Council’S Rise East Plan, Camille L. Batiste

Master's Theses

This research began as an effort to understand how community-based organizations in neighborhoods that have experienced generational economic disinvestment address the financial and cultural wealth gap in their communities. With the 40x40 Council and its work in East Oakland serving as the case study, it is evident how this organization mobilizes to reverse the impact of cultural erasure and wealth exclusion, helping Black residents not just live, but thrive. With an enriched understanding of how the 40x40 Council frames its approach, implements its vision, and develops its longevity, the Rise East Plan utilizes an alternative wealth-building strategy that centers community, …

Silicon Rivalry: Understanding The U.S.-China Ai Competition In Southeast Asia, Daniel Christopher Kent

Master in Public Policy Theses

In the rising global strategic competition between China and the United States, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken on a special significance given its potentially transformative impact upon economics and security. Yet while the dialogue around the “AI race” is typically centered on foundational model capability enhancement, application in security contexts, and chip design and manufacturing, there is much less attention paid to its impact on geopolitics. In particular, AI diplomacy—the work of a state to spread its model of AI governance, evangelize its AI companies, and develop critical AI interdependencies and linkages around the world—is far less studied. Nowhere is …

Global Health Financing Of Diagonal Interventions: Building Resilient And Sustainable Health Systems In Sub-Saharan Africa, Lucy Kim

Master in Public Policy Theses

Background: Global health financing has historically prioritized disease-specific “vertical” programs over broader “horizontal” strengthening of general health systems. Vertical programs in HIV have led to unprecedented reductions in mortality worldwide, but HIV remains a significant public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa, where vertical strategies have long been criticized for creating fragmented health systems. In response, global health strategies have shifted towards combining vertical investments with broader horizontal activities, commonly referred to as “diagonal” programming. While evidence suggests that diagonal programming has the potential to create more resilient and sustainable health systems, evaluating its value for money is challenging due to …

Beyond The Ban: Chhaupadi Abolition And The Governance Of Menstrual Autonomy In Western Nepal, Nikita Paudel

Master in Public Policy Theses

This thesis examines how two decades of efforts to abolish chhaupadi have shaped the everyday conditions under which women and girls experience menstruation in western Nepal. Chhaupadi, commonly understood as menstrual seclusion, has been addressed through Supreme Court directives, national policy, criminal law, municipal implementation instruments, hut demolition campaigns, public health programming, and rights-based advocacy. Yet the practice has persisted, adapted, and in some cases moved into less visible spaces. Rather than treating this as a simple gap between law and practice, this thesis asks how abolition efforts themselves have become part of the regulatory regime through which menstruation is …

Behind The Scores: How Federal Education Legislation Influenced Dayton Public Schools’ Special Education System For Students Of Color, Simran Kaur

Aurora

This paper analyzes the district special education system of Dayton Public Schools’ through federal legislation requirements and state-reported data to evaluate access, implementation, and equity. Findings show that while the district meets several procedural requirements at federal levels, students with disabilities (especially Black students) face limited access to general education environments, family engagement, and disability identification at a local level. Risk ratios reveal subjective disability categories, which is contributing to the district’s low Achievement Gap Closing rate through the state-wide report card.

Welcome Tilly Norwood: Forecasting Hollywood’S Ai Policy Futures, Samuel P. Rooker

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

In late 2025, weekly trade publication Variety Magazine reported on the announcement of a new acting talent in Hollywood: Tilly Norwood. Norwood is an industry outsider and the pet project of Eline Van der Velden, who unveiled the actress’ existence to the world at the Zurich Film Festival. The announcement quickly gained media coverage while Van der Velden has since faced cyclical backlash from Hollywood trade unions, which does not seem entirely without reason. Tilly Norwood is a digital persona, a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) program, designed by Van der Velden’s novel AI talent studio, Xicoia, to become the next …

Using An Ai Chatbot To Improve Access To Lake Skaneateles Watershed Regulations, Lucas Colleluori, Tomás Olivier

Center for Policy Design and Governance

This report evaluates whether a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) chatbot can simplify access to the overlapping state, county, and local regulations governing the Lake Skaneateles watershed.

Controlling Fiscal Destiny: Evaluating The Effect Of State Tax Composition On Resilience During Defined Shock Period, Calloway R. Bills

Honors Theses

State governments operate under strict fiscal constraints that limit their ability to respond to economic downturns through borrowing or monetary policy, making tax composition a key determinant of fiscal stability. This paper evaluates how variation in state tax revenue composition affects fiscal resilience during economic shocks, focusing on the Great Recession. While prior research shows that individual tax instruments differ in cyclicality, less is known about how overall tax structure shapes revenue performance during and after shocks. Using a panel dataset of U.S. states from 1988 to 2024, this study measures resilience through two outcomes: the magnitude of revenue decline …

Research On Academic Journal Evaluation Based On Factor Dimensionality Reduction, Data Weighting, And Journal Characteristics Orientation, Liping Yu, Jing Zhang

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] The characteristics of academic journals have important value, and current evaluation systems lack assesment for this dimension. [Method/process] This paper proposes a variable weight method for factor reduction data, firstly uses factor analysis combined with manual classification to determine the characteristics of the journal, and uses Sigmoid function to standardize the public factors to determine the characteristic journals, and then uses the variable weight function to modify the original data for the characteristic indicators of the characteristic journals based on the data of forestry journals in CNKI. Three representative methods including linear weighted aggregation, weighted TOPSIS, and factor analysis, …

12-Year Report Of The Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program (Fiscal Years 2013 – 2024), Madhawa Palihapitiya, Karina Zeferino

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

This report examines the development, performance, and impact of the Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program during its first 12 years, covering fiscal years 2013 through 2024. Established under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 75, Section 47, the Grant Program provides operational and programmatic funding to qualified community mediation centers offering free or low-cost dispute resolution services through trained community volunteers. The Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration at the University of Massachusetts Boston administers and evaluates the program.

Over the period examined, the Commonwealth’s annual appropriation increased from $650,000 in FY2013 to approximately $3.2 million in FY2024. This investment stabilized community …

The Role Of Public Administration And Hrm In Promoting Guardian-Oriented Policing In Michigan, Sara L. Cowling

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

This capstone paper examines how public administrators and human resource management (HRM) practices in Michigan local law enforcement agencies can influence the adoption of a guardian-oriented approach to policing. Using a qualitative case study method and document analysis, this study integrates peer-reviewed literature on guardian and warrior policing models with public administration and HRM frameworks. Findings indicate that due to the centralized structure of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) and standardized academy training, local agencies have limited control over recruit socialization during initial training. Thus, recruitment and hiring practices, specifically recruitment messaging, applicant self-selection, interviewing, organizational fit …