Special Event

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Meeting the Moment: How Sociological Research Can Inform Public Policy

The American Sociological Association hosts a conversation with Louise Seamster (University of Iowa) and Beth Pearson (Office of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren) on the crucial role that sociology can play in shaping public policy. 

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

5:30 – 8:00 PM Eastern; Networking from 5:30-6:00 PM; Conversation starts at 6:00 PM

Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, Room 822

555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20001

Seamster and Pearson represent different but equally powerful pathways for sociologists to become involved with policy engagement.

Louise Seamster is a sociology professor at the University of Iowa whose research on racial and economic inequality has directly informed many major policy debates. Most notably, her work on "predatory inclusion" in student debt helped shape Senator Elizabeth Warren's student debt forgiven ess plan. She's also a former Brookings Institution fellow and frequent media commentator.

Beth Pearson took a different path—she's currently Chief of Staff in Senator Warren's office, with a PhD in sociology from UC Berkeley. She started as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow in 2015.

Together, they provide a comprehensive picture of how sociological expertise can influence real policy outcomes.