Brown School

As voters are increasingly asked to decide complex health policy questions at the ballot box, new research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis finds that healthcare-related ballot measures draw more voters to the polls and are more likely to pass than other initiatives — but they’re also especially sensitive to opposition spending by special interest groups.

A new paper published in the Harvard Data Science Review outlines complementary models for rethinking how data is used in the social sector, emphasizing that technical expertise alone is not enough to ensure fair and effective outcomes. 

Cal J. Halvorsen, a gerontological social work scholar and an associate professor at the WashU Brown School, will step into a new leadership role this summer as co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. 

The WashU Brown School presented its 2026 Awards of Distinction on April 23, honoring alumni and supporters for their work advancing positive change in communities worldwide.

GP Worley applied to the WashU Brown School because they were inspired by the work of the Sexuality, Health and Gender (SHAG) Center. Today, Worley is one of the center’s most committed contributors, pursuing multiple projects that explore the role of sexuality and gender in health.

A guaranteed income program for artists led to improvement in financial stability and reduced debt, but also improved their motivation and artistic output, finds a new study from the WashU Brown School.

The Jewish Federation of St. Louis has renamed its annual professional leadership achievement award in honor of Barry Rosenberg, a professor of practice at the WashU Brown School.

Tonya Edmond, at the Brown School, has been installed as the William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor. A ceremony took place Feb. 9 in Hillman Hall.

WashU scholars wrote the textbook on dissemination and implementation and have been building on that expertise ever since. Their work is needed now more than ever.

With the need for gerontology specialists exploding, a Brown School course challenges students to examine their biases toward older adults and look at the ‘whole story’ of aging.