This spring, the Center for Social & Behavioral Science (CSBS) and the Institute for Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) announced the new Partnerships for Evidence-based Public Policy (PEPP) faculty fellowship program. This program aims to create a bridge between research experts and the public by enabling mid-career faculty across the Illinois System to conduct year-long policy research projects with Illinois government partners.  

The inaugural PEPP cohort will begin in August 2025 with four fellows working on projects related to labor policy, child welfare, natural resources, and housing policy. The cohort will meet monthly and participate in policy-relevant and research-oriented programming organized by CSBS and IGPA, facilitating Illinois faculty in conducting timely, impactful research that improves policy across the state. Each fellow receives a stipend to support their policy research, helping turn academic insight into public policy across Illinois.   

Two of this year’s fellows will hold Kellner Fellowships, which are supported by the Kellner Center for Neurogenomics, Behavior, and Society. The work of these two fellows, Andrew Foell of the University of Chicago and Will Schneider of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, addresses social policy issues that directly impact the mental health and wellbeing of Illinois residents. Their research stands to improve the lives of some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens – individuals facing homelessness and families at risk of child maltreatment. Established through the generous support of Bill and Julie Kellner, the Center brings together a breadth of fields from genomic biology to neuroscience to social and behavioral science to social work to improve mental health. As longtime supporters of the University of Illinois and the Springfield community, the Kellners are committed to improving mental health through research and policy. 

The inaugural cohort of fellows includes: