The Social Policy Analysis (SOPA) Capstone is a two-semester course typically taken by SOPA majors in the senior year. The course provides students with hands-on experience in conducting research on social policy design, evaluation, and implementation and serves as the culminating experience within the SOPA major. Students enroll in fall (SOPA 400) and spring (SOPA 401) semester courses taught by SOPA faculty. Within those courses, students work in teams of 4-5 on an academic year-long project with a community partner organization.
If you are a potential host interested in partnering with the SOPA program, please reach to Libby Vann (evann@rice.edu).
Current Projects
- Baylor Teen Health Clinics: Evaluating HISD student clinic usage and health outcomes
- Partner: Allyssa Abacan, MPH, Ph.D., Director of Public Health Programming, Baylor Teen Health Clinics
- Project Mentor: Sabrina Cuauro, Ph.D. student, VOCES Lab, Psychological Sciences, Rice University
- Brady: Evaluating a gun safety playbook for medical providers
- Partner: JJ Janflone, Partnerships Manager, Brady
- Project Mentor: Conner Joyce, Ph.D. student, Political Science, Rice University
- Harris County Judge’s Office: Developing a teacher talent pipeline to work with justice-involved youth
- Partner: Fernanda Marrero Hi, Ed.M., Senior Policy Advisor, Harris County Judge’s Office
- Project Mentor: Gabi Fernandez, Ph.D. Student, Industrial Organizational Psychology, Rice University
- January Advisors: Assessing medical debt cases in Harris County Courts
- Partner: David McClendon, Principal, January Advisors
- Project Mentor: Salpy Kanimian, Ph.D. student, Economics, Rice University
- March of Dimes: Assessing optimal resource allocation in maternal health deserts
- Partner: Alicia Lee, Director, MCH Collective Impact, March of Dimes Houston
- Project Mentor: Gabi Fernandez, Ph.D. Student, Industrial Organizational Psychology, Rice University
- Neuhaus Education Center: Evaluating the efficacy of adult literacy programs
- Partner: Karol Ann Moore, Ph.D., Director of Research Associate Vice President of Curriculum and Instructional Design, Neuhaus Education Center
- Project Mentor: Sabrina Cuauro, Ph.D. student, VOCES Lab, Psychological Sciences, Rice University
- The Wren Collective: Assessing defendants’ ability to pay bail
- Partner: Jay Jenkins, Texas Principal, The Wren Collective
- Project Mentor: Conner Joyce, Ph.D. student, Political Science, Rice University
- The Wren Collective: Evaluating the effect of court activity on jail population in Harris County
- Partner: Jay Jenkins, Texas Principal, The Wren Collective
- Project Mentor: Salpy Kanimian, Ph.D. student, Economics, Rice University