Policy on the Rocks
About this Series
Connect with fellow researchers and practitioners and get to know our community over drinks and hors d'oeuvres while hearing leading experts discuss the most pressing issues related to public policy and public management. Policy on the Rocks is a new event series hosted at the Washington, D.C. locations of our institutional members. Stay tuned for more Policy on the Rocks events later this year!
Policy on the Rocks events are free, open to all, and won't be recorded.
Policy on the Rocks: September 2025
Join us this fall for our next Policy on the Rocks!
When:
- Tuesday, September 9th, 2025
- 5:00 PM-6:45 PM US Eastern
Where:
Panel Discussion: AI in Public Policy
At our second Policy on the Rocks event, we'll explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the way research is conducted and public policy decisions are made. The event will bring together policymakers, technology leaders, and academics to discuss the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into public governance. From ethical frameworks and algorithmic transparency to smart infrastructure and data-driven decision-making, discover how AI is reshaping the public sector — and what it means for democracy, equity, and accountability. Stick around for a Q&A with our panel and a networking reception afterwards.
Previous Events
Policy on the Rocks: May 2025
When:
- Monday, May 19th, 2025
- 5:00 PM - 6:45 PM US Eastern
Where:
Agenda:
- Check-In - 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
- Panel Discussion - 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM
- Networking Hour - 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM
Panel Discussion: Where Are We Now? Policy Analysis and Management Under a Trump Administration
Half a year after the plenary at our Fall Research Conference, where panelists offered their thoughts on the incoming administration's effect on policy, management, and research, seismic shifts have occurred. For Policy on the Rocks, we've brought back several panelists from our initial discussion and invited new scholars from a range of backgrounds to share their thoughts on how these changes have reshaped the policy landscape–and what is still yet to come.
Featured Speakers:
- Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families, Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy
- Don Moynihan, Professor of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Former APPAM President
- Michael Strain, Director of Economic Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute
- Christina Yancey, Vice President, Workforce Development, American Institutes for Research
Moderated by:
- Ingrid Gould Ellen, Professor of Urban Policy and Planning and Director for Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, New York University, APPAM President
This event was sponsored in part by the American Evaluation Association.
