Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy

Why does social policy matter?

Through data-driven research, hands-on training, and collaborative public engagement, the Malcolm Wiener Center advances policy initiatives that empower people to solve the most urgent social challenges and questions of our times.

Spotlight

Amitabh Chandra named faculty director of the Malcolm Wiener Center

Professor Amitabh Chandra has been appointed faculty director of the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy. Chandra, who started his appointment on July 1, also serves as the Ethel Zimmerman Wiener Professor of Public Policy at the Kennedy School and the Henry and Allison McCance Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Recent Insights

Workers experiencing rising indoor heat exposure

Indoor heat exposure is a growing problem for service sector workers, according to a new report by the . With rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves, workers are increasingly at risk of uncomfortably high temperatures in the workplace.

Indoor Heat Exposure

Research from David Deming, Ben Weidmann, and Yixian Xu examines the lessons we can learn from collaboration with artificially intelligent (AI) agents. Their study finds that a person's performance with AI agents can help predict that person's ability to lead human teams.

The Distribution of Authorship in Economics Journals

Dani Rodrik and his co-authors evaluate authorship distribution trends in economics journals around the world since 1980, finding striking imbalances: Articles by authors in developing countries are far less likely to be published in top journals even when controlling for article quality.

Journal Authorship Insights

��vlog�� Class Day Awards

Each year during the ��vlog�� Class Day Awards Ceremony, the Malcolm Wiener Center awards prizes for exceptional student research. This years winners: Jane Ruan MPP 2025 (Manuel C. Carballo Memorial Prize); Yuchen Dai MPP 2025 and Wanjun Zhao MPP 2025 (Susan C. Eaton Memorial Prize); Melissa Hernández Jasso (Frederick Fischer Memorial Prize); and Emily Gonçalves MPP 2025 and Caren Royce Marasigan Yap MPP 2025 (William Julius Wilson Research Award).

Faculty Focus

Desmond Ang

Desmond Ang is an applied economist and Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. Ang, who received his PhD in economics from the University of California, San Diego, brings an economist’s eye to issues of race, inequality, and justice. His research examines the educational consequences of police violence, the long-run effects of federal oversight under the Voting Rights Act, and the role of media on racial prejudice.

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