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Competition and Awards


CAAPA Best Student Paper Award:

The CAAPA Best Student Paper Award is given annually to a paper written by a student member of CAAPA and presented in a major public affairs conference during the previous calendar year. Co-authored papers will be eligible for the competition only if the co-coauthor(s) are also students. Each author would be allowed to submit up to one single- or co-authored paper.

To compete for the award, please download and fill out the application form and submit an eligible paper to Professor Alfred Wu by March 15, 2019. Please indicate “CAAPA Student Paper Award Application” in the email subject line.

The award will be selected by a committee, which includes three to five faculty members who are either CAAPA members or representatives from institutional sponsors. The awardee will receive a cash prize of $200 and an engraved plaque.


Wen Wang award for best Young Scholar paper:

The Wen Wang Award (王闻奖) is established in memory of Dr. Wen Wang, CAAPA President, 2017-2018, for his significant contribution to the research collaboration and academic exchanges between China and United States in the field of public affairs and his mentorship to young scholars.

The Wen Wang Award is given annually to a research paper written by a CAAPA member at the rank of assistant professor and published (either online or in print) during the previous calendar year. Co-authored papers will be eligible for the competition only if the co-coauthor(s) are either students or at the same rank as assistant professor. Each author would be allowed to submit up to one single- or co-authored paper.

To compete for the award, please download and fill out the application form and submit an eligible paper to Professor Alfred Wu by March 15, 2019. Please indicate “Wen Wang Award for Best Young Scholar Paper Application” in the email subject line.

The award will be selected by a committee, which includes three to five senior faculty members who are either CAAPA members or representatives from institutional sponsors. The awardee will receive a cash prize of $300 and an engraved plaque.

Please consider contributing to the Wen Wang Endowment Fund which supports the Wen Wang Award.


Previous Winners:

2018 Awards

The Best Student Paper Award:

Jinhai Yu, University of Kentucky

“Does Financial Disclosure Matter? GASB 45 and Municipal Borrowing Costs.” Paper presented at the 2017 Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Conference.


The Wen Wang Award for Best Young Scholar Paper:

Yu Shi, University of North Texas

“The Rise of Specialized Governance in American Federalism: Testing Links Between Local Government Autonomy and Formation of Speical District Governments.” Publius: The Journal of Federalism. 2017, 47(1), 99-130.

2017 Awards

The Best Student Paper Award:

Lang (Kate) Yang, Indiana University, Bloomington

“The Impact of State Intervention and Bankruptcy Authorization Laws on Local Government Deficits.” Paper presented at the 2016 Association for Budgeting and Financial Management Conference.


The Young Scholar Manuscript Award:

Gao Liu, Florida Atlantic University

Rui Sun, California State University, Dominguez Hills

“Economic Openness and Subnational Borrowing.” Public Budgeting & Finance. 2016, 36(2), 45-69.

2016 Awards

The Best Student Paper Award:

Pengju Zhang, Syracuse University

"The Unintended Impact of Tax and Expenditure Limitations on the Use of Special Districts: The Politics of Circumvention.” Paper presented at the 2015 National Tax Association Conference.


The Young Scholar Manuscript Award:

Jiaqi Liang, New Mexico State University 

“The Shadow of the Politics of Deservedness? The Implications of Group-Centric Policy Context for Environmental Policy Implementation Inequalities in the United States.” Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. First published online Sept. 26, 2015.