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APPAM is pleased to offer complimentary webinars throughout the year. Below, you can find a list of upcoming webinars, recent webinars with public recordings, and members-only archived webinar topics. Recent webinar recordings are on APPAM's YouTube channel, and all recordings are in your APPAM membership profile in the webinar library.
Don't see a topic you were looking for? APPAM collects webinar proposals from active members throughout the year. If you have a timely, broadly appealing topic you'd like to share, please see the webinar proposal section below.
Questions? Email [email protected].
Opportunity by Design: What HOPE VI Teaches Us About Housing, Schools, and Economic Mobility
Thursday, May 7
3:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern
Moderator:
Ellie Klein, AIR Opportunity Fund
Speakers:
Matthew Staiger, Opportunity Insights
Thomas Silverstein, Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC)
Huriya Jabbar, University of Southern California
Schools and neighborhoods in the United States remain segregated by race and income, while legal and political constraints have narrowed the tools available to policymakers. In this context, place-based approaches that link housing, education, and community development have reemerged as promising strategies for expanding economic mobility. HOPE VI—a $17 billion federal effort to redevelop distressed public housing into mixed-income communities—offers one of the most rigorous tests of whether neighborhood investment can shape long-term outcomes. New longitudinal evidence following more than one million individuals over three decades shows that, while HOPE VI did not increase earnings for original adult residents, children who grew up in revitalized neighborhoods experienced higher adult earnings, increased college attendance, and lower incarceration rates. This webinar situates these findings within current policy and practice, highlighting implications for place-based strategy design.
Better Data Visualization in Excel
Monday, May 11th
2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern
Speaker: Jon Schwabish, Urban Institute
Everyone working with data needs to communicate their findings, analyses, and conclusions effectively, whether through internal briefings, management reports, annual reviews, or scientific articles. Despite the growing range of tools for data analysis and visualization, Excel remains a leading choice, relied on daily by millions worldwide. This webinar will introduce core strategies for expanding Excel’s capabilities to create clearer, more impactful visualizations. Participants will have the opportunity to apply these techniques directly by building sample visualizations that bring the lessons to life.
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
- Move beyond Excel’s default charts to create clearer, more impactful visualizations.
- Customize chart elements to highlight key insights and reduce visual clutter.
- Build sample visualizations that reinforce core design and communication principles.
- Apply data visualization best practices to reports, presentations, and dashboards for stronger communication.
Workforce Analytics in Policy Development: Strengthening Workforce Governance through Data-Driven Insights
Monday, June 8
3:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern
Moderator:
Dorcas Attah, Georgia State University and Mercedes-Benz USA
Speakers:
Tim Griffith, Results for America
Hayley Raetz, New York University, Furman Center
Daniel Schiff, Purdue University
As workforce dynamics evolve, so too must public policy. In this session, we will explore how data-driven insights can inform policy development and drive more effective decision-making in areas like labor laws, employment standards, and workforce development programs. Participants will gain an understanding of how workforce analytics can be used to improve governance, craft informed policies, and create sustainable workforce strategies.
The key takeaways will be:
- How to leverage workforce data to influence legislative and policy decisions.
- The role of data in shaping labor-related public policies, from minimum wage laws to employment benefits.
- Real-world case studies on the successful integration of workforce analytics into policymaking and governance from the speakers.
- Increased knowledge and awareness of the ethical implications and governance of using data in public policy as it relates to the global workforce.
Building Early Childhood Policy: A National Effort
Wednesday, October 21
1:00 - 2:00 PM Eastern
Moderator:
Gail Joseph, University of Washington, Cultivate Learning
Speakers:
Sarah Etzel, Columbia University, Teachers College
Kathy Thornburg, University of Missouri
The Early Childhood Policy in Institutions of Higher Education (ECPIHE) initiative is a national project that has been working over the last seven years to instantiate a new field of study, Early Childhood Policy (ECP), as an answer to a long-standing call for pathways to prepare leaders for a career in early childhood policy.
To that end, the effort seeks to train individuals to take on the challenging, yet essential, roles of influencing and advancing coherent policies for young children and their families and will ultimately spread the word about ECP nationally and globally. Join Dr. Gail Joseph, ECPIHE Network Leader, and Dr. Kathy Thornburg, co-founder of the ECPIHE initiative, as they moderate a discussion on the progress ECPIHE has made over the last seven years and its goals for the future. They will be joined by stakeholders to highlight different perspectives of the ECPIHE initiative, including a center director, a policy alum, and a member of ECPIHE.
Live APPAM webinars are available to everyone, but our webinar library is reserved for active APPAM Members as a membership benefit. Log in as a member to view our full archive.
Better Surveys, Better Data: A Practical Guide for Researchers
Wednesday, April 22
Moderator:
Mark Watts, NORC at the University of Chicago
Speakers:
David Dutwin, NORC at the University of Chicago
Ting Yan, NORC at the University of Chicago
Surveys remain one of the most powerful tools for understanding what people know, do, and believe—but designing a survey that produces valid and reliable data is far from simple. Researchers face critical decisions at every stage: Which sampling approach ensures representativeness? How do you craft questions that minimize bias? What strategies maximize response rates and data quality?
This webinar provides a comprehensive overview of the survey design process, blending literature with practical, real-world examples.
How to Get Accepted to the APPAM Conference
Wednesday, April 1
Moderator:
Victoria Wyant, University of Pittsburgh
Speakers:
Karen Gardiner, Urban Institute
Muhammad Salar Khan, Rochester Institute of Technology
Jessica Pac, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Aparna Soni, Indiana University
Ever wonder about the conference submission process? In this webinar, you'll get the tips needed for your APPAM Fall Research Conference submission to stand out! We’ll walk you through the submission process, the review process, and what we look for in a conference session. Panelists will have a background serving on an APPAM Program Committee. These speakers have made decisions on proposals in the past and are ready to answer your questions to help you present at the next APPAM conference. Join us for resources on how to highlight your conference proposals for APPAM and beyond!
Transforming Data into Visual Narratives: A Hands-On Workshop with the Flourish Data Visualization Tool
March 23, 2026
Participants:
Jon Schwabish, Urban Institute
Participants will gain hands-on experience with Flourish, a powerful data visualization tool for creating interactive, engaging charts, maps, and stories. The session will cover the fundamentals of importing data, selecting appropriate visualization templates, and customizing visual elements to effectively convey complex data insights. Attendees will learn how to leverage Flourish’s intuitive interface to build dynamic visualizations without needing advanced coding skills and will explore best practices for data storytelling to enhance their presentations and reports. By the end of the workshop, participants will have the skills to transform raw data into compelling visual narratives, improving their ability to communicate data-driven insights.
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APPAM is continuously looking for fresh and timely webinar content; our best resource is our members! Active APPAM members are encouraged to submit webinar proposals for policy-related content and professional development topics.
Submit a Webinar Proposal Here
Webinar Proposal Questions? Email [email protected].
Live APPAM webinars are available to everyone, but our webinar library is reserved for active APPAM Members as a membership benefit. Log in as a member to view our full archive. Some of the archived webinars include:
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Bridging Research and Practice: Career Pathways for Emerging Public Policy Scholars (2025)
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Navigating Uncertainty in Policy Research Grants & Funding in the US: Trends, Challenges & the Future (2025)
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Better Presentations (2025)
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How To Speak So People Will Listen (2025)
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Continuing the Work: Studying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Current Moment (2025)
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Data Visualization and Communication Training (2025)
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Policy Research and Program Evaluation After DOGE (2025)
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Cogent & Concise Finding the Story in Your Study (2025)
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Exploring Clean Slate Legislation: Perspectives from Different States (2025)
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The Future of Public Service: Are the Kids Alright? (2025)
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Job Market Success Strategies, Part 1: The Master's Job Market (2025)
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Getting Accepted: Submitting to the APPAM Annual Fall Conference (2024)
Retired APPAM Podcasts
APPAM retired our podcast series in 2023. You can find our previous podcast recordings here.
APPAM's The Wonk examined current policy issues discussed by expert practitioners, researchers, and academics. Episode topics included JPAM featured articles, emerging trends in public policy research, and student preparation for careers in public policy.
APPAM's Let's Grab A Coffee podcast was recorded by the Student Advisory Committee (SAC). The episodes were informal conversations with a scholar from the field to show the human side of public policy.