2013 Legislative Brown Bag Lunch & Learn Series

The Legislative Brown Bag Lunch and Learn Series events are designed to allow University of Iowa faculty to share their expertise with Iowa legislators on critical issues relevant to the current session. They are also intended to familiarize legislators with experts they can turn to for assistance with research-based evidence on a regular basis.
 

• Monday, February 25: Health Care Reform
  Changes in the way we cover, finance, and deliver health care are occurring rapidly. Some of this change is directly related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but some will happen regardless of the future of the ACA. Implications for legislation decision-making were discussed.
  • Pete Damiano, Director, Public Policy Center and Health Policy Research Program, and Professor of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics, University of Iowa
  • Keith Mueller, Gerhard Hartman Professor and Head, Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Iowa

• Monday, March 25: The University of Iowa and Economic Development
  The University of Iowa is engaged in economic development to meet the challenges associated with rapid globalization by embracing business sensibilities; enhancing technology transfer; building applied research and development partnerships; accelerating entrepreneurship; and engaging with local, state, and regional economic development organizations. Potential strategies and partnerships with government and industry to build the 21st century economy in Iowa were discussed.
  • Daniel Reed, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University of Iowa
  • David Hensley, Interim Associate Vice President for Economic Development, University of Iowa
• Monday, April 1: STEM Education Policy
  The University of Iowa, in collaboration with Kirkwood Community College, serves as headquarters for the Southeast Iowa STEM Region as set forth in the Governor's STEM Advisory Council's "Scale-Up" initiative. The goal of this initiative is to bring high quality programs with a track record of increased student interest and achievement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields to educational institutions across the state of Iowa. Current and future STEM programs and achievements were discussed.
  • Jeffrey Weld, Executive Director, Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council
  • Rebecca Whitaker, Southeast Regional Manager, Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council
• Monday, April 8: Mental Health and Disability Services Reform 
  Mental health and disability services reform is another important issue facing the legislature this session. Issues surrounding mental health, disability services, and the financing and delivery of services were discussed.
  • Robert Bacon, Director, Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Disabilities at the Center for Disabilities and Development, University of Iowa
  • Debra Waldron, Director and Chief Medical Officer, Child Health Specialty Clinics, and Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Univeristy of Iowa
  • Michael Flaum, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Iowa and Director, Iowa Consortium for Mental Health

Please feel free to bring your lunch during these sessions. Contact Pete Damiano, peter-damiano@uiowa.edu or (319) 335-6800, with any questions about the series.

To view last year's Legislative Lunch and Learn Series, click here.