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Schar School News for January 2025

Research Looks to See How Hidden Costs of Social Security Claiming Takes Toll on Widows

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 15:52:08 +0000

Research Looks to See How Hidden Costs of Social Security Claiming Takes Toll on Widows Andrew J Schappert Wed, 11/13/2024 - 10:52

The timing of filing for Social Security benefits is one of the most important decisions senior Americans must make. But few think about the implications filing early or late in life has on widowed spouses, a segment of society that represents nearly 12 million women, according U.S. Census data.

Sita Slavov: ‘I would hope that this study can help inform families, financial advisors, and policymakers about this important aspect of retirement security.’ Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Some two million of those widows live below the poverty line.

In a new and detailed study of the topic, Sita Nataraj Slavov, a professor of public policy at the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV, is diving into a critical issue facing America’s aging population: How Social Security claiming decisions affect the financial security of widows.

It’s important to know that the later in life an individual files for Social Security—between 62 and 70—the larger the monthly benefit. Prior research, she said, has shown that many, if not most, people can increase the lifetime value of their benefits by delaying claiming.

Her new research focuses on the choices made by primary earners as to when to claim Social Security benefits and how these decisions shape the financial landscape for their surviving spouses in later life. A key component of her analysis is to assess how the timing of a deceased spouse's Social Security claim influences these financial outcomes after widowhood.

“If the primary earner passes away first, the secondary earner receives a survivor benefit that’s equal to the primary earner’s benefit, including the gains from delay,” she said. “In other words, by delaying, primary earners can pass on a higher survivor benefit to their widowed spouses. So, the original claiming age of the primary earner in a marriage has major implications for the well-being of the secondary earner, if the secondary earner is widowed.”

Using advanced econometric techniques, Slavov is employing difference-in-differences and event study models to trace the shifts in income, labor participation, wealth, and poverty risk that widowed secondary earners experience. She plans to examine how these shifts may be larger or smaller depending on the deceased spouse’s claiming age.

“Social Security is the largest source of retirement income for most Americans,” she said. “Among those aged 65 and over, widowed women have a higher poverty rate than others. The poverty rate in this group is around 16 percent, compared to around 10 percent for all individuals 65 and older.”

Many of these widows, she said, “are secondary earners who are receiving survivor benefits. I would hope that this study can help inform families, financial advisors, and policymakers about this important aspect of retirement security.”

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Sita Nataraj Slavov

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Schar School News for November 2024

Aging

Where Did Your Fine Really Go? Students Are Invited to Make an Impact on Justice Transparency

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:39:58 +0000

Where Did Your Fine Really Go? Students Are Invited to Make an Impact on Justice Transparency Andrew J Schappert Thu, 10/31/2024 - 09:39

Have you ever wondered where the $4.3 billion fine paid to the U.S. government by cryptocurrency exchange Binance actually went? Or, for that matter, in which coffer did your $100 fine for speeding wind up in?

Tauheeda Yasin: ‘There are profound impacts on not only the individual but their family and communities.’

Most likely, most of us never think about what happens to the billions in funds paid by citizens and corporations for fines large and small—you simply pay it to avoid further penalties.

But there is someone thinking about it, and she is building a tool with the help of ��AV students to track monetary penalties and gauge their impact on those who pay them.

And you can help during a dynamic and groundbreaking three-day event that organizer Tauheeda Yasin, an affiliate faculty member of the Schar School of Policy and Government, is calling DataStorm: Ride the Legislative Change.

Some 200 students will gather at Horizon Hall on George Mason’s Fairfax Campus to help build what Yasin calls “the first searchable AI-enabled web tool that will allow lawmakers, researchers, and the public have access to the data to help them make informed decisions about changes to laws and public resources.”

It is called InsightLegi.

Students who participate in DataStorm, which takes place November 15, 16, and 17, will get “get hands-on skills in data collection and analysis,” Yasin said. “We’ll also have opportunities to dive into the data and create a social media campaign for awareness on legislation and policy. Students will also get to work on cool visualizations and gain access to mentorship. It's a great resume builder.”

Registration information is at this comprehensive website. There is no fee to participate and Yasin adds that food and snacks will be provided.

DataStorm and the resulting InsightLegi platform build on Yasin’s previous work and come on the heels of an October proof-of-concept hackathon. The goal of the effort, she said, “is to bring some transparency as to how the justice system funds itself so that we can create more efficient laws.

“Many people are unaware of how a $200 traffic fine can have a cascade of consequences for those unable to pay those penalties. Cyclical debt, loss of licensure, job loss, and incarceration are common occurrences for those who cannot afford their encounters with the legal system.

“There are profound impacts on not only the individual but their family and communities. Many people are unaware of their constitutional rights and also unaware of ways to help rectify issues when they are unable to pay. We hope this tool brings various stakeholders together to improve our justice system.”

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Schar School News for October 2024

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University Professor Faye S. Taxman Earns Additional $16.5 Million Grant

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:32:12 +0000

University Professor Faye S. Taxman Earns Additional $16.5 Million Grant Andrew J Schappert Wed, 09/04/2024 - 13:32

The National Institutes of Health awarded another $16.5 million to the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), led by ��AV Professor Faye S. Taxman. Taxman directs the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence! within the Schar School of Policy and Government and spearheaded the establishment of JCOIN in 2018 to improve the treatment of opioid use disorders. This additional funding will allow the research network to expand its focus beyond opioids to substance abuse disorders more generally.

Faye S. Taxman. Photo by Office of University Branding

Comprising 12 research hubs and two resource centers, JCOIN promotes research into the treatment and management of opioid use disorder, particularly in individuals within the justice system. Taxman explains that, while each research hub has its own studies, her Coordination and Translation Center (CTC) works to “translate what we know works best, according to science, to targeted audiences that can implement them.”

Since its inception in 2018, the JCOIN team has worked alongside a variety of stakeholders including health care professionals, social workers, and police officers, as well as county jails, probation agencies, and judicial courts. By disseminating new research findings and identifying best practices, Taxman’s team bridges the gap between scholarship and practical application, strengthening the positive impact of the research that JCOIN produces and maximizing the value of the taxpayer funding the network receives.

Engaging stakeholders in the process of translating scientific research has helped “generate new ideas about topics we need to research, and issues that we need to develop new materials for, to really advance the field,” and even, “opened our eyes to new barriers that we hadn’t even thought about,” Taxman said, including the social stigma surrounding professionals who work in this field.

With this newest round of funding, JCOIN is rebranding itself as the Justice Community Overdose Innovation Network, reflecting the expanding scope of its research and dissemination efforts.

“Over 130,000 people [across the United States and Canada] die each year due to overdoses,” Taxman said, “and overdoses are one the highest categories—even more than gun violence—for fatalities in our country; it cuts across all socioeconomic statuses.”

Substance abuse is a national epidemic “that affects everyone in our society. You usually can’t find anyone that doesn’t know someone who has had an alcohol or substance use disorder,” she said.

By connecting empirical research in partnership with practitioners in the field, JCOIN is ideally situated to alleviate the problems of addiction and substance abuse that plague communities across the United States.

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Faye S. Taxman

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Schar School News for August 2024

Strategic Direction

George Mason researchers collaborate on $1.5M NSF study to electrify bus fleets

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:02:13 +0000

George Mason researchers collaborate on $1.5M NSF study to electrify bus fleets Andrew J Schappert Wed, 08/21/2024 - 15:02

A new $1.5 million study funded by the National Science Foundation will draw on the expertise of a transdisciplinary research team from ��AV, the University of Virginia, and Syracuse University, in an effort to address the challenges involved in transitioning public bus fleets, including transit and school buses, to electric power.

Principal Investigator Jie Xu will lead the NSF study. Photo provided.

The study, “SCC-IRG Track 1: Community-Responsive Electrified and Adaptive Transit Ecosystem (CREATE): Planning, Operations, and Management,” is headed by the principal investigator (PI) Jie Xu, a professor at George Mason’s Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research in the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC).

The project team’s co-PIs from George Mason include Fengxiu Zhang from the Schar School of Policy and Government, Ran Ji from the Department of Systems Engineering and Operations Research in CEC; and Wenying Ji from the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering in CEC. Also on the team is Jundong Li from the University of Virginia’s department of electrical and computer engineering.

Electrifying the nation’s bus fleets could significantly improve air quality and public health, especially in communities that have suffered from diesel exhaust pollution, says the Schar School’s Zhang. However, the shift to electric buses is complicated by several issues, such as limited driving range, long charging times, high upfront costs, downtime, a lack of skilled workforce, and varying priorities among stakeholders.

“Electrifying public fleets is crucial for reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing public health, particularly in traditionally disadvantaged communities,” she said. “Our project seeks to address the complex challenges of planning, operating, and managing fleet electrification by developing comprehensive sociotechnical solutions to facilitate achievement of those outcomes.”

A key focus, she added, “is the integration of environmental and transportation justice principles, ensuring that the electrification process prioritizes communities burdened by environmental injustices while not compromising the accessibility and reliability of bus services.

Fengxiu Zhang: ‘Electrifying public fleets is crucial for reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing public health, particularly in traditionally disadvantaged communities.’ Photo provided

“We will adopt a user-informed approach by extensively engaging with our partners to co-develop tailored solutions that meet their specific needs and priorities to ensure the relevance, applicability, and effectiveness of our solutions.”

The goal is to create a scalable, sustainable path for public transit systems to transition to electric buses. Researchers say this will involve developing intelligent decision-support tools that help in planning and managing the fleet, while considering the unique challenges of electric buses compared to traditional ones. For instance, factors like charging capacity and locations are more crucial for electric buses due to their limited range and longer refueling times than conventional buses.

The project will bring together various partners, including local transit agencies, schools, utility companies, bus service providers, and national labs, to develop innovative technologies that meet both analytical and practical needs. These technologies will include advanced machine-learning and optimization tools to handle the complexities and uncertainties of electrifying bus fleets.

These tools will help optimize daily operations, such as maintaining the right charge levels in buses, managing charging schedules, responding to incidents, and performing maintenance—all while ensuring the buses are used efficiently and the overall costs remain competitive.

The project will also assess collaborative governance in public bus fleet electrification planning and policy-making. In addition, it aims to build a skilled workforce that can support the transition to electric buses, ensuring that the shift is sustainable in the long term.

At the end of the project, the researchers will deploy the CREATE Suite, a set of intelligent decision-support tools developed during the study in a pilot program in collaboration with public transit systems and school districts that are partnering in the project. The project will also establish an electric bus clearinghouse as a centralized platform to disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and other information to help other transit agencies and schools electrify their bus fleets.

Other experts in the project team include David Wong from the Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science and Vivian Genaro Motti from the Department of Information Sciences and Technology, both from George Mason, and Professor Saba Siddiki from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

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Strategic Direction

RAMP Project to Implement New Tools to Assist in Research

Pam Shepherd — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:48:18 +0000

RAMP Project to Implement New Tools to Assist in Research Pam Shepherd Mon, 02/19/2024 - 09:48

To better assist Mason’s expanding research activities and provide enhanced support to faculty, the Research Administration Management Portal (RAMP) project will soon introduce a handful of new, easy-to-use tools. In the coming months, new “modules” will assist with managing research involving human subjects, streamlining payroll reporting, overseeing animal care, and adhering to export regulations.

During the next phase, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) module supporting human subjects research will be implemented. The IRB’s onboarding phase began in October 2023 and is anticipated to go live this July. RAMP IRB will replace IRBNet, which Mason has used since 2013. This new module will allow for improved functionality and usability over the current system, and integration with the other RAMP modules. RAMP IRB will improve collaboration between principal investigators, IRB staff, and committee members through all IRB activities from new protocols to amendments.

The RAMP Payroll Certification (Effort Reporting) implementation will begin onboarding in April 2024. This module will streamline the effort and labor reporting process on sponsored projects, allowing for a standard workflow for payroll certifications routing through the electronic system for review and approval. RAMP Payroll Certification will replace the manual process currently in place for payroll certification allowing for greater efficiency, ease of access, improved functionality, and better reporting capabilities.

Future RAMP implementations include Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and Export Control, with a phased roll out through March 2025. The Research Reporting Project continues in conjunction with the full RAMP implementation, with additional reports being made available throughout the duration of the project.

In addition, the current RAMP modules for Grants, Agreements, and Conflict of Interest (COI) will be upgraded to the newest Version 10.5, allowing end users to experience the most updated features of the system. Of note, the RAMP Safety module has already implemented on Version 10.5 and will not require the upgrade.

The overall timeline for the RAMP Project is below:

The RAMP Team will continue to share information regarding the project with the Mason Community through the RAMP website. Email questions to ramp@gmu.edu.

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Schar School News January 2023

Provost Newsletter

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Strategic Direction

Study: When Recreational Cannabis Is Legal, Codeine Demand Drops

Andrew J Schappert — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 13:49:46 +0000

Study: When Recreational Cannabis Is Legal, Codeine Demand Drops Andrew J Schappert Tue, 01/24/2023 - 08:49

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Catherine Maclean

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Catherine Maclean: ‘…[C]annabis use is arguably less harmful to health than the nonmedical use of prescription opioids.’

A new study published this month in Health Economics finds a significant reduction in pharmacy-based codeine distribution in states that have legalized recreational cannabis use. The finding is promising from a public health policy perspective because misuse of prescription opioids contributes to more than 10,000 overdose deaths a year in the U.S.

The study was coauthored by associate professor Johanna Catherine Maclean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at ��AV. The research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.

So far, 21 U.S. states have passed recreational cannabis laws; legislatures in other states are considering similar measures.

“A reduction in the misuse of opioids will save lives,” said doctoral candidate Shyam Raman who is affiliated with the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy and the lead author of the study. “Our research indicates that recreational cannabis laws substantially reduce distribution of codeine to pharmacies, an overlooked potential benefit to legalizing recreational cannabis use.”

Maclean, who specializes in the study of substance use disorder and public policy, said that while cannabis and opioids can be used to minimize chronic pain symptoms, they aren’t equivalent in their impact on overall health.

“Increasing legal access to cannabis may shift some consumers away from opioids and toward cannabis,” she said. “While all substances have some risks, cannabis use is arguably less harmful to health than the nonmedical use of prescription opioids.”

The study is believed to be among the first to separately examine the impact of recreational cannabis laws on shipments of opioids to hospitals, pharmacies, and other endpoint distributors. Previous studies have focused on medical cannabis laws or the use of opioids by subsets of consumers, such as Medicaid beneficiaries.

The researchers analyzed data from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automation of Reports and Consolidation Orders System which tracks the flow of controlled substances in the U.S.

Key findings from states that passed recreational cannabis laws:

A 26 percent reduction in pharmacy-based distribution of codeine and as much as a 37 percent reduction after recreational cannabis laws have been in effect for four years.
Minimal impact on distribution of other opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine in any setting.
Minimal impact on codeine distribution by hospitals, which often have less permissive policies than pharmacies.

“This finding is particularly meaningful,” said senior author Coleman Drake of the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Public Health. “Where previous studies have focused on more potent opioids, codeine is a weaker drug with a higher potential for addiction. It indicates people may be obtaining codeine from pharmacies for misuse, and that recreational cannabis laws reduce this illicit demand.”

“Our study contributes new information to policy debates regarding legalization of recreational cannabis, which is a complex decision,” added Maclean. “Lawmakers could weigh the benefits we document alongside benefits and costs across a range of health, social, and economic domains potentially impacted by cannabis as they determine whether legalization is appropriate for their constituents.”

W. David Bradford of the University of Georgia also contributed to the study.

Additional reporting by Jim Hanchett, assistant dean for communications for the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Cornell’s announcement is here.

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Center for Regional Analysis

Two ��AV Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15

Andrew J Schappert — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 15:49:50 +0000

Two ��AV Economic Forecasting Powerhouses Join Forces; First Forum Nov. 15 Andrew J Schappert Thu, 11/03/2022 - 11:49

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Stephen Fuller

Terry Clower

Mark J. Rozell

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Terry Clower: ‘No matter the project’s location or topic, we bring what we learn back to Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area so we can help our region and state grow and thrive.’

Two of the Washington, D.C., region’s most recognized and respected economic and policy research entities—��AV’s Center for Regional Analysis (CRA) and its Stephen S. Fuller Institute for Research on the Washington Region’s Economic Future (SFI)—have joined forces in an effort to expand and deepen their longtime efforts to support economic and community development in the region.

The units’ missions are complementary, with the SFI continuing to provide real-time research and analysis of economic issues and conditions that affect the Washington region now and in the future; the CRA, with its broader geographic reach, continues to provide data, analytics, and research with state and national implications in a wide range of crucial issues. Both units are headed by CRA director and professor of public policy Terry Clower and are housed at the Schar School of Policy and Government.

Mark J. Rozell, dean of the Schar School, noted that while each research center provides critical guidance to regional business leaders and policy makers, “the post-pandemic labor markets and ever-changing economic conditions made it clear that the best path forward is to realize strategic and operational synergies by combining the CRA and the Fuller Institute under a single leader in Dr. Clower.”

With the consolidation, Rozell said, “the two research centers will continue their nearly 40 years of combined history as key resources for those who rely on their insights to keep the region’s economy moving forward.”

Steven Fuller: ‘Blending the unique capabilities and missions of these two organizations will be a win-win for all the beneficiaries…’ Photo by Buzz McClain/Schar School of Policy and Government

“Working with sponsors and partners over the past eight years, the CRA has been able to expand its portfolio to include research and engagement activities across the commonwealth of Virginia, the DMV, the U.S., and internationally,” said Clower, who joined Mason in 2014 and took the helm at the Center a year later.

With the five-year-old Fuller Institute under the same umbrella, Clower said, “No matter the project’s location or topic, we bring what we learn back to Northern Virginia and the D.C. metro area so we can help our region and state grow and thrive…Working with Dr. Fuller the past few months to bring our entities together makes me appreciate anew just how much he has brought to this region over the past 50 years.”

Fuller, founding director of the SFI and now a University Professor Emeritus, said the institute will continue to monitor the economic forces affecting the region as they emerge.

“By combining these two complementary research organizations, both will benefit from sharing staff and knowledge as well as gaining increased management and operation efficiencies,” said Fuller. “Blending the unique capabilities and missions of these two organizations will be a win-win for all the beneficiaries of these services and for the advancement of economic research on critical issues in these uncertain economy times.”

The CRA and the Fuller Institute will host the first CRA/Fuller Institute Joint Economic Outlook Forum on Tuesday, November 15, at Mason Square in Arlington from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Clower and Fuller Institute founder Stephen S. Fuller will examine the current challenges and opportunities facing the region’s economy and will present analysis and insights on employment, housing, construction, retail, and other decisive aspects effecting the region’s economy in 2023 and beyond. Bob Buchanan, a third-generation builder and civic leader and president of the 2030 Group, will provide opening remarks.

The event is free and open to the public but reservations are required at this site.

About the Schar School of Policy and Government

��AV’s Schar School of Policy and Government prepares undergraduate and graduate students to be leaders and managers who solve problems and advance the public good in all sectors and levels of government—in the United States and throughout the world. Located where policy happens—just 3 miles from the Pentagon, 4 miles from The White House, and 6 miles from the U.S. Capitol Building—students are connected to jobs, internships, networking, and experiences that can only be found in the Washington, D.C., area.

About George Mason

��AV is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. In 2022, Mason celebrates 50 years as an independent institution. Learn more at gmu.edu

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Schar School News November 2022

New Book Features Exclusive Interview with Jailed Leader of Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 16:33:23 +0000

New Book Features Exclusive Interview with Jailed Leader of Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’ Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/04/2021 - 12:33

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Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera: ‘This book is important because it is the perspective of the Mexican government on how they saw security in Mexico before the declaration of the ‘War on Drugs.’

Little did Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera know in November of 2017 that the high-ranking Mexican government official she was interviewing with for a book on that country’s

“drug war” would three years later be arrested in the U.S. for taking millions of dollars in bribes from the villainous Sinaloa drug cartel.

The dramatic downfall of Mexico’s former secretary of public security is now a new book, Las Cinco Vidas de Genaro García Luna (El Colegio de México), written by Correa-Cabrera, a Schar School assistant professor, and Rice University’s Tony Payan. (The book is available in Spanish only.)

The book traces García Luna’s path leading to his downfall and to the security issues in Mexico today. This work also provides credible insight into just how high the reach of organized crime—the drug cartels—is able to go to the very top of Mexico’s federal authorities.

“He was the strongman of security in Mexico,” Correa-Cabrera said, regarding García Luna. “He was the protagonist in the first stage of the state-sanctioned ‘War on Drugs.’ He was the Secretary of Public Safety and the right-hand man of the Mexican president at the time, Felipe Calderón, and was very close to the DEA and to all the United States’ agencies,” including the CIA and the Department of Justice.

“And he was arrested, at the end of 2019,” she said, “charged in connection to drug trafficking, money laundering, and it was a big scandal because he was the strongman of security.” García Luna is in a New York prison awaiting trial for taking tens of millions in bribes to protect cartels.

Genaro García Luna awaits trial in a New York prison.

Correa-Cabrera interviewed García Luna in 2017, two years before his arrest, over three days at the Center for the United States and Mexico of the Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston, during which time he gave his perspectives on security issues in Mexico—a bitter irony—considering how his tenure came to an end.

“He thought he was untouchable,” she said, reflecting on just how powerful García Luna was at the time of the interview.

“This book is important because it is the perspective of the Mexican government on how they saw security in Mexico before the declaration of the ‘War on Drugs,’” she said.

“What is the drug war? What does that mean? Because of the ‘War on Drugs’ the violence has not been reduced. The situation in Mexico is worse than it was when they declared a war on drugs. The cartels have grown very powerful, very murderous.”

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Schar School News August 2021

Mason climate communication researcher’s smartphone game helps combat misinformation

John Hollis — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 17:50:28 +0000

Mason climate communication researcher’s smartphone game helps combat misinformation John Hollis Mon, 12/14/2020 - 12:50

A ��AV scientist has developed a smartphone game that uses critical thinking and cartoons in the fight against dangerous climate change misinformation.

John Cook, a research assistant professor at Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communication within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, launches his “Cranky Uncle” game on Dec. 15 after spending over a decade studying different ways to counter misinformation. The game is available for free on iPhone and Android.

“Misinformation does great damage to society,” Cook said. “An essential solution is making the public more resilient against fake news. But how? Gamification is a powerful approach that can potentially reach many millions of people.”

The game uses a resilience-building technique known as active inoculation. In the game, players are mentored by a cartoon Cranky Uncle, who is dismissive of scientific evidence on climate change, vaccines, COVID-19 and other issues. As players learn the techniques used to deny science, they gain points on their quest to become a cranky uncle.

“If you want to learn how to spot someone cheating at cards, first, you have to learn how to cheat at cards,” explained Cook.

Cook, who used to draw cartoons for a living before becoming a scientist, illustrated many of the cartoon depictions of logical fallacies. He called the cumulative impact of humor, cartoons and games a powerful one that compels players into critical thinking through gameplay.

“The deeper a player gets into the game, the more resilient they become against misinformation,” he said. 

Cook teamed up with creative agency Autonomy Co-op to develop the game.

“The issue of science misinformation is more critical than ever before,” said Autonomy CEO Jay McDowell. “We're honored to be part of such a unique and innovative approach to fighting it.”

Cook is the founder of the Skeptical Science website and the lead author of a study that found 97% scientific consensus on climate change. He spent the last decade examining how to best counter climate science denial. His research, which focused on the responses of high school seniors and college students, is designed to explain the techniques of denial to make the public more resilient against climate change misinformation.

Learn more about the game at crankyuncle.com.

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