Wellesley Centers for Women IN THE NEWS Can America Handle a $30 Minimum Wage? THE NEW REPUBLIC

Wellesley Centers for Women IN THE NEWS "Are these numbers-$17, $25, $30 per hour-too high? Sari Pekkala Kerr, an economist and senior research scientist at Wellesley College who studies the minimum wage, says it's impossible to know because we haven't seen the federal minimum wage increase that much at once, even if it's phased in over several years; they've historically been smaller increases. 'If a small increase doesn't have a large employment effect, it doesn't mean that a large increase might not,' she said. 'Prediction gets hard." TNR

Senior Research Scientist Sari Pekkala Kerr was featured in a @newrepublic.com article by @monicapotts.bsky.social discussing the feasibility and potential impact of implementing a $30 minimum wage in the US.

Read the article here: newrepublic.com/article/2083...

#PAsky

Real education means learning, good teachers, and opportunities — not just enrollment.

#RealEducation #SkillsNotSchool #EducationForAll #TeachersMatter

IN THE NEWS Schools are using AI counselors to track students’ mental health. Is it safe?

IN THE NEWS “While AI can speed up the diagnostic process or free up time for school counselors, it’s crucial not to over-rely on it for mental health, says Charmaraman. The technology can miss some of the nuances that a human counselor would catch, and it can give students unrealistic positive reinforcement. Schools need to adopt a holistic approach that includes families and caregivers, she argues.”

Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman is featured in a The Guardian article investigating the potential benefits and dangers of a growing category of AI counseling tools that are being marketed to K-12 schools.
#EdTech #EdSky #cyberpsychology #PAsky #Pedsky

IN THE NEWS WCW Hosts Second Early Childhood Policy Research Summit

WCW recently hosted the second annual Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Summit, a gathering of those who produce and support research and design projects related to the early childhood field in Massachusetts! [1/3]
#ECEC #EduSky #DevPsy #PASky #PedSky

Wellesley Centers for Women IN THE NEWS Can America Handle a $30 Minimum Wage? THE NEW REPUBLIC

Wellesley Centers for Women IN THE NEWS "Are these numbers-$17, $25, $30 per hour-too high? Sari Pekkala Kerr, an economist and senior research scientist at Wellesley College who studies the minimum wage, says it's impossible to know because we haven't seen the federal minimum wage increase that much at once, even if it's phased in over several years; they've historically been smaller increases. 'If a small increase doesn't have a large employment effect, it doesn't mean that a large increase might not,' she said. 'Prediction gets hard." TNR

Senior Research Scientist Sari Pekkala Kerr was featured in a @newrepublic.com article by @monicapotts.bsky.social discussing the feasibility and potential impact of implementing a $30 minimum wage in the US.

Read the article here: newrepublic.com/article/2083...

#PAsky

Schools are using AI counselors to track students’ mental health. Is it safe? As hundreds of schools implement an automated monitoring tool, educators say that students can find talking to a chatbot ‘more natural’ than confiding in a human

Read the article here: www.theguardian.com/technology/n...

IN THE NEWS Schools are using AI counselors to track students’ mental health. Is it safe?

IN THE NEWS “While AI can speed up the diagnostic process or free up time for school counselors, it’s crucial not to over-rely on it for mental health, says Charmaraman. The technology can miss some of the nuances that a human counselor would catch, and it can give students unrealistic positive reinforcement. Schools need to adopt a holistic approach that includes families and caregivers, she argues.”

Senior Research Scientist Linda Charmaraman is featured in a The Guardian article investigating the potential benefits and dangers of a growing category of AI counseling tools that are being marketed to K-12 schools.
#EdTech #EdSky #cyberpsychology #PAsky #Pedsky

WCW Hosts Second Early Childhood Policy Research Summit - Wellesley Centers for Women The Wellesley Centers for Women is a premier women- and gender-focused, social-change oriented research-and-action institute at Wellesley College. Our mission i

Read about the event here! www.wcwonline.org/2026/wcw-hos... [3/3]
#ECEC #PAsky #SciPol #DevPsy #Pedsky #EduSky

IN THE NEWS "Summit attendees were welcomed by WCW Interim Executive Director Georgia Hall, Ph.D., and Representative Christopher Worrell, who represents the 5th Suffolk district in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. 'You are helping us ask the right questions, measure what matters, and design solutions that are not only visionary but evidence-based," said Worrell in his remarks. "Today is about learning from one another. It's about building a roadmap for the future of early childhood research and policy in the Commonwealth."

This summit, attended by over 160 researchers, policymakers, advocates, and practitioners, was organized by WCW Senior Research Scientist Dr. Wendy Wagner Robeson, Dr. Kimberly Lucas of @nu-policyschool.bsky.social, and Dr. Kyle DeMeo Cook of @buwheelock.bsky.social. [2/3]
#ECEC #PASky #SciPol

IN THE NEWS WCW Hosts Second Early Childhood Policy Research Summit

WCW recently hosted the second annual Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Summit, a gathering of those who produce and support research and design projects related to the early childhood field in Massachusetts! [1/3]
#ECEC #EduSky #DevPsy #PASky #PedSky

Dr. Linda Charmaraman, Senior Research Scientist and Director of the Youth, Media and Wellbeing Lab, gave tech companies advice on ensuring and increasing the safety of their products for adult and youth consumers at CES 2026. [1/2]
👩🏽‍🔬 #scipol #cyberpsychology #edtech #ux

[2/2] Learn more about Linda and the Lab's work here: www.wcwonline.org/Youth-Media-...

[2/2] Learn more about Linda and the Lab's work here: www.wcwonline.org/Youth-Media-...

Dr. Linda Charmaraman, Senior Research Scientist and Director of the Youth, Media and Wellbeing Lab, gave tech companies advice on ensuring and increasing the safety of their products for adult and youth consumers at CES 2026. [1/2]
👩🏽‍🔬 #scipol #cyberpsychology #edtech #ux

Wellesley Centers for Women ON THE BLOG One Practitioner's Path to Leadership: Joining the Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy & Research Collaborative by Shavon Drayton

New WCW Blog Post 📝 | Shavon Drayton, an early education advocate, writes about her experience working with Senior Research Scientist Wendy Robeson to organize the 2026 Massachusetts Early Childhood Research Summit. [1/2]
#EduSky #ECEC #EducationalResearch #devpsy #PAsky #edpsychs 👩🏽‍🔬

ON THE BLOG "As I work on expanding my leadership skills by spearheading the second research summit, which will take place on March 19, one of the key lessons I've carried with me from these experiences is that equitable practice isn't an add-on-it must be woven into every aspect of our work. Whether coordinating large working groups, managing cross-sector workflows, or choosing well-rounded research to showcase, I strive to create spaces where all voices-especially those historically marginalized-are heard and valued." Wellesley Centers for Women

The 2026 Massachusetts Early Childhood Research Summit is a statewide gathering to share research, data, and design insights—and to connect emerging evidence with opportunities for early childhood policy change in Massachusetts.

Read here: www.wcwonline.org/entry/one-pr...

[2/2]

ON THE BLOG "As I work on expanding my leadership skills by spearheading the second research summit, which will take place on March 19, one of the key lessons I've carried with me from these experiences is that equitable practice isn't an add-on-it must be woven into every aspect of our work. Whether coordinating large working groups, managing cross-sector workflows, or choosing well-rounded research to showcase, I strive to create spaces where all voices-especially those historically marginalized-are heard and valued." Wellesley Centers for Women

The 2026 Massachusetts Early Childhood Research Summit is a statewide gathering to share research, data, and design insights—and to connect emerging evidence with opportunities for early childhood policy change in Massachusetts.

Read here: www.wcwonline.org/entry/one-pr...

[2/2]

Wellesley Centers for Women ON THE BLOG One Practitioner's Path to Leadership: Joining the Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy & Research Collaborative by Shavon Drayton

New WCW Blog Post 📝 | Shavon Drayton, an early education advocate, writes about her experience working with Senior Research Scientist Wendy Robeson to organize the 2026 Massachusetts Early Childhood Research Summit. [1/2]
#EduSky #ECEC #EducationalResearch #devpsy #PAsky #edpsychs 👩🏽‍🔬

Despite Massachusetts’ strong economy, and education and healthcare systems…women and girls continue to face persistent and interconnected challenges…due to enduring structural constraints that limit women’s economic security, opportunity, and wellbeing across the life cycle.”
#CodifyERA #Resister

📊 🎉 The Wellesley Centers for Women and the Women's Foundation of Massachusetts are pleased to announce our inaugural report on the Status of Women & Girls in Massachusetts!
Read the executive summary and the full report at wcw.wellesley.edu/statuswomeng.... 🧵⬇️
#GenderSky #SciPub #SciPol #PASky 👩🏽‍🔬

to the challenges women and girls are facing.”

what life is like for women and girls in MA,” said WCW Interim Executive Director and Senior Research Scientist Georgia Hall, Ph.D., who led the research along with Senior Research Scientist Sari Kerr, Ph.D. “Data is power, and having this information empowers us to work toward solutions [+]

security is out of reach for many due to factors like the gender wage gap and the high cost of living, which hit single mothers and elderly women particularly hard.
“This is the first time all of this data has been compiled in one place, giving us a critical big-picture understanding of [+]

women’s earnings and labor force participation; education pathways and outcomes; and the health of girls and women. By many indicators, Massachusetts ranks among the strongest states in the nation for women, but these indicators mask persistent and consequential disparities. Basic economic [+]

This comprehensive report is the first of its kind and fills a critical information gap on the wellbeing of women and girls in Massachusetts, with a particular focus on economic empowerment. It focuses on three core indicators of women’s and girls’ wellbeing, opportunity, and agency: [+]

📊 🎉 The Wellesley Centers for Women and the Women's Foundation of Massachusetts are pleased to announce our inaugural report on the Status of Women & Girls in Massachusetts!
Read the executive summary and the full report at wcw.wellesley.edu/statuswomeng.... 🧵⬇️
#GenderSky #SciPub #SciPol #PASky 👩🏽‍🔬

Now streaming live at www.wellesley.edu/news-events/...!

Wellesley Centers for Women IN THE NEWS Where are the babies? Wellesley Magazine

Senior Researcher Sari Kerr was quoted in Wellesley Magazine's article about the plummeting fertility rate. @Wellesley.edu experts explain the sociopolitical and economic reasons behind it, and alums tell their own stories about their winding paths to becoming parents—or not. #gendersky #socsky

Wellesley Centers for Women IN THE NEWS "Sari Pekkala Kerr, an economist and senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women, teaches a women in the economy course annually. She begins the semester by asking students to raise their hands if they see themselves getting married one day and having kids. Last fall, 60% indicated that they think they wanted to get married, but only 25% would consider having children. Even Kerr was stunned. It was a significant decline compared to a decade ago." Wellesley Magazine

Read the article here: magazine.wellesley.edu/issues/winte...
Article by Heather Long, illustrations by Tim Bouckley.
#gendersky #socsky

The Status of Women & Girls in Massachusetts Wednesday, March 4th, 3 - 5 p.m. ET Diana Chapman Walsh Alumnae Hall Ballroom, Wellesley College Register at bit.ly/tswgm Watch online at wellesley.edu/live

🎉 Join us to celebrate the launch of the Status of Women & Girls in Massachusetts report, our collaborative research project with the Women's Foundation of MA! This report is the first of its kind and fills a critical information gap on the wellbeing of women and girls in MA.
#GenderSky #PASky 👩🏽‍🔬