The Murphy Institute at Tulane University

10/20/2026

We're proud to recognize the current Graduate Fellows of the Center for Ethics at The Murphy Institute 🎊 These outstanding Tulane University doctoral candidates are advancing interdisciplinary research on ethics and public affairs in their respective topic areas.

Congratulations to Shannah Boucher, Pureum Lee, Caroline Leffert, Kaylie McCarthy, David Ween, and Haolin Zhou on their achievements and contributions to scholarship at Tulane. 👏

Learn more about our current Graduate Fellows and their research:

🔗 https://murphy.tulane.edu/centers/ce/graduate-fellows

10/14/2026

Thoughtful dialogue, critical thinking, and community-building were on full display at our recent High School Ethics Bowl Scrimmage. 🎓 💬

Hosted by the Murphy Institute's Center for Ethics, the event brought together local high school students to tackle complex ethical questions, practice respectful discourse, and build connections with peers and Tulane mentors

We're grateful to everyone who helped make the day a success and welcome Tulane University faculty members and graduate students to support the October 24 scrimmage by serving as judges, moderators, or helping hands!

Read on to learn how you can help ⬇️ https://murphy.tulane.edu/high-school-ethics-bowl-scrimmage-builds-skills-connections-community

10/12/2026

We appreciate our student media at Tulane University! 🌊📰

Check out this recent article published by The Tulane Hullabaloo writer Charlie Scharf on our annual Yates lecture:

Dr. Deb Houry, former chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spoke at Tulane University on Sept. 23 about her decision to resign from the CDC in August 2025. The event was part of the 2026 Mary C. Parker Yates lecture, hosted by Tulane’s Murphy Institute, to promo...

10/07/2026

Congratulations to Murphy Institute and Tulane Law School Professor Carla Laroche on her feature in a recent The Sentencing Project report, "Women Silenced at the Polls: How Criminal Convictions Deny the Right to Vote." 👏

Her research and teaching continue to shed light on critical issues surrounding incarceration and civic participation. At Murphy, her course on the prison industrial complex helps political economy students explore the complex relationship between policy, economics, and justice.

We're proud to see Professor Laroche's expertise contributing to this important conversation. Check out the report ⬇️

764,000 women are barred from voting due to a felony conviction. Most have completed their sentences and are living in their community.

10/06/2026

Last semester, we introduced the Murphy Brown Bag Lunch Series, which has returned this fall as a hit among our faculty members and fellows!

This monthly lunch provides an opportunity for faculty to receive feedback on new and ongoing projects, collaborate and share ideas with peers, and strengthen connections across our multidisciplinary community.

Check out today's full room during a presentation by political science professor Melissa Pavlik 👇

10/01/2026

Congratulations to our 2026-2027 Center for Public Policy Research (CPPR) Dissertation Fellows: Milena Petrovic, Yu Liu, and Nuzulu Putri! 🎉

These exceptional Tulane doctoral candidates are conducting research that explores how public policy shapes complex societal challenges. As Fellows, they'll advance their scholarship while contributing to the rich intellectual life of The Murphy Institute. 📚✨

Learn more about CPPR's Dissertation Fellows: https://murphy.tulane.edu/centers/cppr/dissertation-fellows.

09/29/2026

A near standing-room-only crowd joined us for the 2026 Yates Lecture featuring Dr. Deb Houry, MD, MPH last week at Tulane University. 👩‍⚕️✨

If you missed it, you can now watch the full discussion and read our recap of this important conversation on public health, scientific integrity, and leadership.

📖 Read the recap:
https://murphy.tulane.edu/leading-integrity-dr-deb-houry-headlines-murphy-institute-2026-yates-lecture

🎥 Watch the full lecture:
https://youtu.be/ZYmIZ-bdxcM?si=I8hMY3BctaGbDuAh

09/21/2026

09/21/2026

With just days to go, we're excited to welcome Dr. Deb Houry as this year's Mary C. Parker Yates Lecturer.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear insights on the future of public health from one of the nation's leading voices in the field.

📅 Wednesday, Sept. 23 🕓 4 p.m.

📍Tulane University

Event details: https://tulane.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12702020.

09/15/2026

With the Yates Lecture fast approaching, we're thrilled to host Dr. Deb Houry next week. Her leadership and impact on public health have helped shape efforts to prevent injury, improve health outcomes, and build healthier communities. Join us for what promises to be an inspiring discussion! 👩‍⚕️🩺 Details: https://murphy.tulane.edu/public-health-leader-and-tulane-alumna-dr-deb-houry-deliver-2026-mary-c-parker-yates-lecture.

In a TIME essay out today, Yale School of Public Health's Dr. Deb Houry shared what gives her hope about the future of public health in the U.S.

"Periods of disruption have often forced societies to rethink old assumptions, create new institutions, and find novel ways to solve problems," she wrote.

Examples of her hope include our own Future of Health Innovation Hub and PopHIVE health data platform, as well as innovations from other universities, states, and medical associations.

Find the link to the full essay in the comments.