After the Fact

Stat: 33%—The percentage of people of color who make up America’s STEM workforce. Story: In this episode, we consider the pipeline to the research workforce—higher education. In a conversation with Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), and its vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Katharine Cole, we explore how the university supports undergraduate and graduate students from a range of backgrounds and prepares them for STEM careers.

Stat: 99%: The percentage of census tracts in the United States where young black men end up having lower incomes than their white counterparts even though they grew up with comparable family incomes and resources. Story: In this episode of our season on race and research, our guests examine the impact of race on economic mobility. David Williams, of Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, describes research tools that can help communities improve economic outcomes for families and kids. And the Brookings Institution’s Andre Perry outlines research showing the systemic undervaluing of homes in black neighborhoods and its implications for family wealth, the health of minority-owned businesses, and the tax bases that fund community needs.  

Stat: 5%—The percentage of Black physicians and surgeons in America. Story: Continuing our look at race and research, we turn to health care. We hear from Dr. Marie Bernard, who heads efforts to increase diversity in the research workforce at the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Stephanie Brown and Kristen Azar of Sutter Health, a nonprofit California health care provider. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, how to build trust in the medical system among those communities, and other ways to improve patient care.

Stat: 46.8 million: The number of people in the United States who identify as Black. Story: The census shows that the U.S. is growing more diverse racially and ethnically, and reflecting this evolution in research data has become even more essential. In this episode, Mike Dimock, president of the Pew Research Center, describes how the Center is addressing these changes in public opinion polling and why examining the nuances behind these demographic shifts helps us better understand society’s diversity. And Yolanda Lewis, who heads The Pew Charitable Trusts’ public safety and justice work, discusses why inclusive research is vital in informing how the criminal justice system handles mental health issues.

Stat: 40%: 4 in 10 Americans identify with a race other than White. Story: In our first episode on race and research, we explore the diverse story of America. William Frey, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an internationally regarded demographer, highlights the latest census findings and what they say about the nation today. And we examine what these changes mean for society—and the evolving national conversation about race—with the Pew Research Center’s director of race and ethnicity research, Mark Hugo Lopez.

A new season of Pew’s “After the Fact” podcast explores diversity in America and how race intersects with research in a range of fields—from public opinion polling to medicine to economics. We talk with social scientists who are helping society better understand how the nuances of race can change the perspective of issues and other experts who are looking at how diverse viewpoints improve policy solutions. The episodes of this season are a contribution to the evolving national conversation about race and diversity, offering a timely look at the challenges, opportunities—and the work—ahead. 

Stat: 30 percent—According to the Pew Research Center, 30% of Americans don’t intend to get a coronavirus vaccination. Story: There’s a light appearing at the end of a long tunnel in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic: the emergence of effective vaccines to prevent its spread. Yet, even with a solution in sight, public trust is still a hurdle—with an “infodemic” of misinformation occurring alongside the pandemic. In this episode, we discuss the facts about the science of the vaccines—and the importance of communicating accurate information to the public—with Dr. Rebecca Wurtz, infectious disease physician and associate professor at the University of Minnesota’s Division of Health Policy and Management.

Stat: 70%: The percentage of debt collection cases that result in default judgment, or automatic win, to plaintiffs.   Story: Debt collection cases are the most common civil court cases today, but many Americans are navigating the civil legal system without legal representation and paying heavy consequences. In this episode we hear from Erika Rickard, who leads Pew’s work to modernize civil court systems, on the issues surrounding debt collection cases and how the pandemic is bringing some courtrooms online. We’ll also speak to Chief Justice Nathan Hecht from the Supreme Court of Texas about how data on debt collection cases is informing the state’s efforts to ensure the court process is open, fair, and transparent.

Stat: $1.24 trillion: The 50-state pension funding gap—the shortfall between what all the states have funded and what they actually owed public employee retirees—as of 2018. Story: Public employees count on pensions when they retire, but most states haven’t adequately funded their obligations. As of 2018, the funding gap for all the states totaled $1.24 trillion. Without sustainable funding, the cost of retiree benefits can mean less money is available for schools, roads, or public safety. In this episode, we hear from Greg Mennis, who leads Pew’s efforts to help states find innovative solutions to close the funding gap and save taxpayer dollars. We also speak with Marcie Frost, who leads the California Public Employees' Retirement System—the country’s largest public pension system—on how stress testing that pension fund helps policymakers understand potential costs and liabilities as they make decisions to help secure retirement benefits for 2 million public employees, retirees, and their families.   

Stat: $8 billion: The cost of vehicle collisions with wildlife each year in the U.S. Story: In America’s West, animal herds follow ancient migration routes that are bisected by roads and highways. In this episode, we hear from Matt Skroch, who leads Pew’s efforts to conserve wildlife corridors, and Jodi Hilty, of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, about innovative solutions that make roads safer for both people and animals.