Independent Policy Research Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has – Margaret Mead Our Mission The NextGen Research Incubator gives teens the chance to design and lead their own policy research projects on issues like affordable housing, zoning reform, economic…
Mental Healthcare “We don’t have a mental health care system in this country; we have a mental illness crisis management system.” Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, Author Our Mission Ten exceptional teens undertook an in-depth investigation into the economic, social, and legal forces driving the nation’s mental health crisis. They uncovered how stigma, misguided policies, and…
Financial Security “If poverty persists in America, it is not for lack of resources. We lack something else: the collective will to ensure everyone has a home.” Matthew Desmond, Author Our Mission This research cohort of nine high-potential teens embarked on a mission to investigate and address the financial, social, and legal barriers that contribute…
Mental Healthcare “Mental illness is the only disease that we blame the person for having.” Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, Author Our Mission This cohort of nine high-potential teens set out to investigate and address the financial, social, and legal barriers contributing to America’s mental health crisis. Through their research, our research cohort gained a deep…
Financial Security The poor don’t want some small life. They want to contribute, and they want to thrive. But poverty reduces people born for better things. Matthew Desmond, Author Our Mission Financial instability has always been a pressing issue for individuals who live below the poverty line, particularly those from underrepresented communities, such as racial…
In this month’s Teen Think Tank Project’s Alumni Spotlight, we are pleased to introduce Kamayani Richhariya. Kamayani is not only a Sophomore at Drexel University, but she is also a Teen Think Tank Project alum, having served as a Research Associate in our Change Agent Academy’s 2022 Summer Research Cohort. Introduction At the Teen Think…
Introducing Jayda In this month’s Teen Think Tank Project’s Alumni Spotlight, we are pleased to introduce Jayda Hendrickson. Jayda is not only a talented student at Spelman College in Atlanta, but she is also Teen Think Tank Project’s 2022 Financial Security Cohort’s Most Outstanding Research Associate. We are excited to highlight her as our featured…
Introducing Savannah In this month’s Teen Think Tank Project’s Alumni Spotlight, we are pleased to introduce Savannah Reira. Savannah is not only a talented cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy, she is also Teen Think Tank Project’s 2021 Racial Equity Cohort’s Most Outstanding Research Associate. Before enrolling in the Coast Guard Academy, Savannah…
Introducing Sameer In this month’s Teen Think Tank Project’s Alumni Spotlight, we are pleased to introduce Sameer Desai. Sameer is not only a talented sophomore at Seton Hall University, but he is also a Teen Think Tank Project alum. Before enrolling in Seton Hall/Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine’s 7-year Joint Bachelor’s M.D. program, he was…
In this month’s Teen Think Tank Project’s Alumni Spotlight, we are pleased to introduce Jeremy Cimino. Jeremy is not only a talented nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania, but he is also a Teen Think Tank Project veteran. He was a member of our inaugural research cohort in 2021 before joining our staff as…
Introduction Throughout U.S. history, America’s healthcare system has been subjected to constant change as it evolved from a simple system of home remedies to a complex and scientific system. These changes, of course, impact the insurance system, as the first insurance was the foundation of what we have today. As the healthcare insurance system expanded,…
Advancing Health Equity On April 20th, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Health Inequality Data Repository, “the most comprehensive global collection of publicly available disaggregated data and evidence on population health and its determinants.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare disparities are “preventable differences in the burden of…
An Alternative to Shelters Found all over the world, homeless shelters are a common resource for those faced with housing stability issues. However, people in need of long-term housing solutions are sometimes hesitant to utilize this option because of their many drawbacks, including lack of safety, availability, and overcrowding. Luckily, there are advocates that are…
A Holistic Approach to Climate Change Teen Think Tank Project alum and blog contributor Anushka Dasari is back with a follow-up to her article exploring carbon accountability to discuss the practical ways in which policymakers, governments, companies, and consumers are doing their part to address global warming. A Timely Discussion The discussions surrounding climate…
Reducing Carbon Emissions Human activity has caused carbon dioxide levels to be the highest they have ever been in two million years. Scientists now predict that the continued uncontrollable use of fossil fuels will lead to dangerous levels of climate change (Neuman, 2021). While nearly all of us have extensive carbon footprints – from driving…
An Examination of Homelessness Homelessness is not a new problem for the United States. We have been trying to combat homelessness since the 1870s, when it first became an issue in New York (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017). Homelessness is “when an individual or family lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime…
An Examination of Climate Policy Climate change is not a new issue. Rising temperatures began in the 1950s and have had a severe impact over the past 70 years (Pidcock, 2019). Over the past few decades, melting glaciers, intense droughts, heavy precipitation and flooding, rising sea levels, and warmer oceans have had detrimental effects on…
The Negative Impact of Misinformation There are 7.7 billion people on Earth with different locations, statuses, and cultures, yet, everyone shares one home. The citizens of the United States need to understand the impact they are having on the world’s climate and that together, they must reduce their carbon footprint to work towards a carbon-neutral…
Editor’s Note: In this series, we meet the teen change agents of the Teen Think Tank Project community. As part of our mission to empower teens, we provide them the platform to contemplate, investigate, and research the social justice issues they care about. The first exceptional teen we will meet is Vaanya Salwan, a two-time…
Climate Crisis & COVID-19 Modern-day society is no stranger to global issues. Two such issues are currently causing significant issues for societies worldwide: climate change and a pandemic. Climate change is a well-known issue worldwide and can often be compared to COVID-19. These crises are both similar in the way that members of society perpetuate…
How does hospital funding affect treatment? Healthcare is something that is non-negotiable for all people. Whether it be for a cold or for a chronic illness, we all in some way depend on aspects of the healthcare industry, making it a basic human necessity. However, like most industries in our society, healthcare has become a…
Personal and systemic biases prevent health equity Becoming a doctor is an extremely long and tiresome process. Four years of pre-med education, four years of medical school, at least three years of residency, not to mention additional years of residency if one wants to specialize. Throughout these years of education and practice, an aspiring physician…
The inadequacies of federal healthcare coverage The United States Medicaid & Medicare programs, first established in 1965, aim to provide medical insurance to low-income populations (Medicaid, n.d.). It is one of America’s largest entitlement programs. But despite the mission of providing comprehensive health coverage to low-income people, we continue to see the quantity of non-ederly…
Unconscious bias is creating a health crisis The healthcare industry in the United States is one of the most consequential industries, proving relevancies from the wealthiest billionaires to the homeless on the streets. It is due to our heavy reliance on this industry that healthcare corporations have become the second largest revenue producing industry in…