A mix of opinion, politics, and policy, Heinz Voices is where you can find columnists talking about the issues of the day as only a Heinz student can. Smart, thoughtful commentary, interesting policy ideas, and perhaps a soupçon of the quantitative chops that Heinz College loves.
The Heroin Epidemic: How Local Communities are Fighting Back
By Lindsay Poss Warning: this is a more personal column than most. About two months ago on a bored scroll through Facebook, I read the news that a former member of my class in high school had suddenly died of a heroin overdose. It was truly shocking. My little town boasts the number one public school...
Two New Startups in Pittsburgh’s Growing Tech Scene
By Henry Yelin To the outside world, Pittsburgh may be most well-known for its beloved sports teams like the Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates. These three teams are supported by a fan base that can appear to be orders of magnitude larger than the population of Pittsburgh itself – especially during the...
Trump administration has more turnovers than a bakery – and there are no signs of approaching stability
By Lindsay Poss The Trump administration has been rocked by scandal after scandal, from Trump infamously bragging about sexual assault to the administration’s purported connection with Russia. These scandals, coupled with the President’s difficult personality and reported disdain for his staff, have...
Tech’s Depth Chart: Experts Discuss Organizational Hierarchies
By Henry Yelin So far in 2018, nearly half of the surge in the S&P 500 index can be attributed to just three companies: Amazon, Microsoft, and Netflix. These companies, along with their peers like Google and Apple, have become dominant players in the technology industry and their products are often...
Gun Resistance Is Here – And It’s Being Led by the Victims
By Lindsay Poss Parkland, Florida has become the latest in a list of cities that has faced a mass shooting, with 17 dead and 14 injured after a gunman entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. This particular shooting moved past Columbine to become the deadliest high school shooting in history. To...
Preparing for the Flood – Puerto Rico and Internal Displacement in the United States
By William Brown In the wake of two devastating hurricanes, the United States finds itself facing a true humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico. According to StatusPR, electricity access is currently just over 20%. Only 50% of cell towers have been repaired, and just over half of all hospitals are operating...
Dinner With a Side of Data
By Henry Yelin Tech has infiltrated every aspect of our lives: Uber has displaced taxi cabs, AirBnB has transformed hotels, and Amazon has started to crush brick-and-mortar retailers. While disruption has uprooted countless industries, it has had a limited impact – so far – on the hospitality industry....
Considerations for the United States in North Korea
By Alton Lu Ensuring security, promoting peace, and spreading influence across the world have been cornerstones of every American president’s foreign policy initiatives. However, North Korea has challenged these goals since the 1950s, and it has become difficult to deal with the competing objectives...