Meredith Dost, PhD

National Poverty Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison in residence at ASPE in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

PhD in Government and Social Policy, Harvard University 

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mdost.phd (at) gmail.com


I am a National Poverty Fellow at the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in residence at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)'s Division of Data and Technical Analysis within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 

At ASPE, I currently analyze refugees’ utilization of Medicaid and other government programs qualitatively and translate it into evidence-based findings to inform the executive branch and policymakers. We just published a report on The Fiscal Impact of Refugees and Asylees at the Federal, State, and Local Levels from 2005-2019, finding a nearly $124 billion positive fiscal impact of refugees and asylees on the American economy in a 15-Year period. This received significant media coverage (e.g., Bloomberg Government).

In my research, I investigate how social policy implementation decisions perpetuate political, social, and racial inequalities in the United States. To do so, I create novel datasets and develop methodologies to back my findings with statistical significance. I also design survey and interviews, based on the expertize I developed at Pew Research Center. Within American politics, my research lies at the interface of the administrative state and governance, political behavior, and inequality. Within public policy, my research contributes to policy implementation, policy evaluation, and policy analysis. My book project, based on my dissertation research, focuses on the political implications of administrative burden. I scrutinize how interactions with the administrative state affect the political behavior and attitudes of potential recipients of means-tested government programs and test my theory on the mass political implications of the administrative burden of Medicaid.

My CV is available here (link).

About me

I earned my PhD in Government and Social Policy at Harvard University in 2023,  jointly PhD in Government and Social Policy jointly between Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Kennedy School. I was a Graduate Fellow at the Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics during the 2021-22 year. I was also an affiliate of the Center for American Political Studies and a Stone PhD Research Fellow in the Multidisciplinary Program in Inequality & Social Policy. During the 2020-21 year, I was a Democracy Doctoral Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. Prior to Harvard, I worked at Pew Research Center, and I earned a B.A. in Public Policy and Hispanic Studies from the College of William & Mary. At Harvard College, I served as an academic advisor for undergraduates studying political science.

Research

PhD dissertation at Harvard University: "Bureaucratic (In)competence in a Federalist System: How Administrative Burden Impacts Participation in U.S. Elections." I examine how policy administration of means-tested government programs shapes citizens' political lives, focusing on Medicaid.

Peer-reviewed

Loyalists and Switchers: Characterizing Voters' Responses to Donald Trump's Campaign and Presidency, with Ryan Enos and Jennifer Hochschild, 2020, Political Science Quarterly. Supporting Information and Replication Materials.

The Tea Party and the 2012 Election, with Ronald Rapoport and Walter Stone, 2014, The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Parties, 7th edition (pp. 157‐174). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.

Under review

“The Mass Political Implications of Medicaid Administrative Burden” (sole author)

“Evaluating New Technology Use: Are Americans Democratically Competent?” with Jennifer Hochschild and Elizabeth Suhay

Work in progress


“Does Local Context Matter? Variation in Refugee Utilization of Government Benefits and Services”


“Spatial Inequality in Government Welfare Office Locations Across the U.S.”

 

Public writing

Robin Ghertner, Suzanne Macartney, and Meredith Dost. “The Fiscal Impact of Refugees and Aslyees at the Federal, State, and Local Levels from 2005-2019” (Feb 2024). HHS/ASPE. Link to report and research brief. Link to HHS press release.

Meredith Dost, Robin Ghertner, and Saunji Fyffe. “Refugee and Asylee Data on the Utilization of Medicaid” (Oct 2023). HHS/ASPE. Link.

Meredith Dost, Ryan Enos, and Jennifer Hochschild. “Is President Trump’s rhetoric racist? It depends on whom you ask” (Aug 2019). Monkey Cage article in The Washington Post. Link.

Meredith Dost and Kyley McGeeney. “Moving Without Changing Your Cellphone Number: A Predicament for Pollsters” (Aug 2016). Pew Research Center. Link.

Carroll Doherty and Meredith Dost. “What the Public Knows – In Pictures, Words, Maps and Graphs: Pew Research Center News IQ Quiz” (Apr 2015). Pew Research Center. Link.

Meredith Dost. “Republicans Divided by Income over Government’s Role in ‘Safety Net’ Issues” (Dec 2015). Pew Research Center. Link.

Meredith Dost. “Immigration Changes Draw Broad Public Interest” (Nov 2014). Pew Research Center. Link.

Meredith Dost and Seth Motel. “Younger Republicans Think More Diverse Nominees Would Help Party Win” (Aug 2013). Pew Research Center. Link.

Advising

I was proud to participate in the Harvard community as a formal advisor and an informal mentor to undergraduate students. I was the primary academic advisor for about 40 political science undergraduates at a time for six years. I mentored and supported many other students in my role as a resident tutor at Harvard College from 2017-2021. In 2019, I was awarded the Star Family Prize for Excellence in Concentration Advising. I have also formally advised several undergraduate senior honors theses. 

From July to October 2019, I served as the Interim Allston Burr Resident Dean of Quincy House at Harvard College. I was responsible for the academic and personal well-being of ~470 students and supervision of the House's ~20 resident tutors. In this role, I was also a member of the College's Administrative Board (the body which enforces undergraduate academic policies and social conduct standards).

Teaching 

My main objective for students in teaching and advising is to learn how to think critically, with an open mind and empirical rigor. My personal goal is to promote equity and inclusion through my teaching approaches. You will find my teaching experiences below:

Courses as lead instructor

Harvard University, Government Department

Harvard Summer School, Pre-College Program

 

Courses as teaching fellow

Harvard University, Government Department

College of William & Mary, Sharpe Community Scholars Program