The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University

09/10/2026

On Wednesday, September 30, the Alumni Club of Greater Boston will be hosting a special event highlighting alumni with careers in public service. The event will feature four alumni panelists, including Alexandra Pineros Shields, PhD’07, associate professor and director of the Master of Public Policy Program at Heller, a Q&A session, and time for networking with fellow alumni and current Brandeis students.

This is a great opportunity to return to campus as the fall season begins, and connect with Brandeisians of all ages! Register to attend here: bit.ly/DeisPublicService

09/08/2026

Tomorrow: Join us for our first Coffee with the Deans of the fall semester! Kick off the new academic year with great conversation, autumn treats, and a chance to win lunch with the Dean Shostak from 1:00-1:30 p.m. in the Zinner Forum. Hope to see you there!

09/03/2026

Connecting Care and Research 🎓

Mike Vetter, MA’11, PhD’26, discovered his passion for health services research while working in the Population Health Department at Partners Healthcare. Read Mike’s alumni profile to learn about his dissertation research on older adult caregiving and their health outcomes, his current role at the Center for Optimal Aging and Serious Illness, and his advice for prospective PhD students. ⬇

I received a master's degree in anthropology from Brandeis back in 2011. I was focused on medical anthropology and started the post-baccalaureate pre-med program at Brandeis because I thought I wanted to pursue medicine. Hard sciences aren’t where my passions lie, so I took some time to explore my...

09/02/2026

Save the date for Coffee with the Deans: Fall Semester Launch next Wednesday, September 9! Kick off the new academic year with great conversation, autumn treats, and a chance to win lunch with Dean Shostak! All SSSP faculty, staff, and students are welcome. Join us from 1:00-1:30 p.m. in the Zinner Forum for seasonal snacks—including apple cider donuts and a "make-your-own" trail mix bar. Hope to see you there!

08/27/2026

The government gave no explanation for terminating the funding, which for decades has supported the only national center focused on the issue.

08/26/2026

Happy first day of instruction!📚 This academic year is sure to be filled with impactful opportunities to connect, collaborate, and effect positive change. We can’t wait to see what the fall semester has in store!

08/25/2026

Yesterday kicked off orientation at Heller! It was a pleasure to welcome the newest members of our community. We look forward to continuing the momentum today!

08/21/2026

In The American Prospect, Robert Kuttner, Meyer and Ida Kirstein Professor in Social Planning and Administration at Heller, discusses the risk of a financial crash as government spending costs go through the roof.

Read his article here ⬇

Government borrowing costs are going through the roof—and so are yours and mine.

08/19/2026

Building Pathways to Justice Through Policy and Practice 🎓

christian h. bijoux is a 2023 graduate of the Heller PhD program. Read christian’s alumni profile to learn about his trajectory from MBA graduate to Heller PhD student, his dissertation work writing the practice mechanisms for the Racial Justice Act in California, and his current role as Deputy Director of Community Development and Enhancement at the Center for Youth Justice at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy ⬇

I think the trajectory of my academic career was always going to end up in this space. I was initially medical school-bound after college, but a conversation with my mentors inspired me to instead go into public health, a field I knew nothing about. My focus was on understanding medical history and....

08/12/2026

Thank you to the Boston Museum of Science for inviting Dr. Monika Mitra to present a State of the Science talk during its Disability Pride Month celebration!

Dr. Mitra shared research on advancing disability inclusion and equity, highlighting the importance of ensuring people with disabilities are represented in research, policy, and practice. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make this event such a meaningful part of Disability Pride Month.

Photo © Ashley McCabe

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Image description:
Dr. Monika Mitra stands behind a podium presenting a talk titled “Disability and Health: From Barriers to Belonging” with the subtitle “Why disability is the largest health disparity in America — and why it isn’t caused by disability” at the Boston Museum of Science during a Disability Pride Month event.