Hoover Institution, (Stanford, CA) — The Hoover Institution at Stanford University is pleased to announce a new research initiative and senior fellowship to study the complex and pressing issue of immigration. The J-P Conte Family Senior Fellow and the J-P Conte Initiative on Immigration are made possible through the generosity of Hoover Institution Board of Overseers member Jean-Pierre L. Conte, Chairman of Genstar Capital, who endowed the programs to further understand one of the most consequential issues facing our country.
Paola Sapienza has been named the inaugural J-P Conte Family Senior Fellow and will focus on the multifaceted nature of the immigration issue and its nuances, which have significant implications for political economy and policy formation. Currently a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Sapienza is also a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, a research affiliate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, and a fellow at the European Corporate Governance Institute.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be named the J-P Conte Family Senior Fellow and to have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to one of the most important policy debates of our time,” said Sapienza. “The J-P Conte Initiative on Immigration will help us advance our collective understanding of immigration’s multifaceted impacts, collaborate with fellow scholars, and bridge the gap between academic research and practical policy solutions.”
Immigration stands at the crossroads of economic transformation, impacting labor markets, innovation, and economic growth in complex ways. In recent years, the United States has seen a surge in immigration, resulting in a nation divided on how to best approach the issue. Good immigration policy must take into account the importance of a secure border, the ability to enforce the rule of law, while also remaining welcoming to the many people trying to get here legally. America has always attracted some of the most talented people in the world, and has been enriched because of it. Later this month, the Institution will host a conference on the Economics of Immigration, which will set the stage for ongoing research and dialogue on immigration’s role in our evolving global economy.
“Immigration remains a wellspring of American prosperity and innovation. It also brings fiscal and other challenges,” said Hoover’s director of research, Steven Davis. “We need policy solutions that harness the benefits of immigration while addressing real concerns about border disruptions, fiscal burdens, the quality of local public services, and housing costs.”
Through the philanthropic work of the J-P Conte Family Foundation, Conte has been committed to the study of immigration for many years. “Both of my parents came to this country seeking a better life, my father from Nazi-occupied France, and my mother from Cuba,” said Conte. “I believe in the strength of immigration and the power of the American Dream—I owe much of my success to them and to this country. Immigration reform has become a humanitarian and economic emergency that we must find answers to.”
With its eminent scholars and world-renowned Library & Archives, the Hoover Institution at Stanford University is a public-policy think tank that seeks to improve the human condition by advancing ideas that promote economic opportunity and prosperity while securing and safeguarding peace for America and all mankind.
