The Harkin Institute

September 17 | Roadmaps to Retirement 2025: Global Lessons and Paths Ahead
2025-09-17 12:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
Roadmaps to Retirement 2025: Global Lessons and Paths Ahead continues our discussion on strategies to improve retirement security at the retirement system level. The roundtable discussion will focus on the private retirement savings landscape in the US and how it compares to countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia. The roundtable will address both retirement savings accumulation and retirement income options, current policies and regulations, and future goals.

Our Water, Our Future: A Look at the Central Iowa Water Quality Report
2025-08-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Sheslow Auditorium, 2507 University Ave, Des Moines, 50311, United States
Join us for the first official presentation of findings from the Central Iowa Source Water Resource Assessment (CISWRA) report—a groundbreaking scientific study that provides the most comprehensive analysis of water quality in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers to date.
This historic event will feature a distinguished panel of scientists who were directly involved in creating this landmark 227-page assessment, offering attendees unprecedented access to the researchers behind this critical work. It will provide an opportunity for residents of Polk County to get the information firsthand and to share their reactions.
For more information about the CISWRA report, click here.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear directly from the scientists whose research will shape Central Iowa’s water future for decades to come.

July 30 | Digging Into Disability Data: Making DisabilityStatistics.org Work For You
2025-07-30 12:00 - 13:00 | IA
Join The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement and the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University for a webinar on using disability statistics in your work using DisabilityStatistics.org. DisabilityStatistics.org provides data from the U.S. Census Bureau, but instead of republishing huge tables of raw data, the site provides maps, charts, and focused tables. This hands-on webinar will use everyday examples to show you how you can take advantage of this tool in your work.

July 16 | Unveiling Ceremony and Panel Discussion
2025-07-16 15:30 - 16:45 | Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
Join us in celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and our recently awarded “Gold” certification. Earlier this year, the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center became only the second building in the United States to achieve the Gold Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification. Learn more about the certification and its many benefits here.
On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, The Harkin Institute will host an unveiling ceremony for the certification plaque that will hang in our atrium. The ceremony will be followed by a panel discussion that will cover the benefits of universal design and how to implement accessibility features in your work place. Light refreshments will be provided.
Before the unveiling, guests will have a chance to check out the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center for themselves! The building will be open for self-guided tours starting at noon. The Harkin Institute staff will be on hand for any questions you have throughout the tour.
Schedule:
3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Unveiling Ceremony
3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Panel Discussion
*The building will be open for self-guided tours from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

June 9 | Workplace Accessibility Roundtable
2025-06-09 17:00 - 19:00 | Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is partnering with The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement to host a Workplace Accessibility Roundtable on Monday, June 9. These roundtables provide opportunities for individuals in Greater Des Moines (DSM) to build new relationships and connect with others who are passionate about fostering an inclusive community. This event is part of the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Multicultural Reception and Roundtable series, which fosters meaningful connections and conversations.

May 22 | Long Term Care Policy Options Webinar
2025-05-22 14:00 - 15:00 | IA
The cost of long-term care has nearly doubled from the early 2000s to 2024, both for at home care and nursing home care. These costs are out of reach for everyone except the wealthiest households. Long-term care costs are internalized by caregiver families in some combination of the following: diminished or lost earned income, early retirement, direct caregiving expenditures, and mental and physical health issues. There are a variety of policy options to address this economic burden on families across the income distribution. Join us for a free webinar featuring a panel of leading experts on LTC policies to learn more about current state, national, and international policies addressing long-term care needs.

April 29 | ADA Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion of “Change Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act”
2025-04-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
The Harkin Institute and Iowa PBS are hosting an accessible screening of Change Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act, followed by a panel discussion with film director Jim Lebrecht and film writer/producer Chana Gazit. The screening will include open captions and open descriptive audio.
Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act tells the emotional and dramatic story of the decades-long push for equality and accessibility that culminated in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. While curb cuts, ramps at building entrances, and braille on elevator buttons seem commonplace today, they were once the subject of a pitched battle that landed on the steps of Congress. Told through the voices of key participants and witnesses, the film highlights the determined people who literally put their bodies on the line to achieve their goal and change the lives of all Americans. A story of courage and perseverance, the film brings to life one of the great civil rights movements in American history, where ordinary people made their voices heard and Congress responded. A testament to the power of coalition building and bipartisan compromise, the passage of the ADA is a shining example of democracy in action.

April 16 | Harkin On Wellness Symposium 2025: The Future of Clean Water
2025-04-16 | Parents Hall, Olmsted Center, 2875 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
The 2025 Harkin On Wellness Symposium will take place on April 16, 2025, focusing on the Future of Clean Water. This year’s theme was chosen to highlight and synthesize the progress being made around the country in protecting and improving water quality through community engagement, environmental education, watershed protection, water conservation initiatives, and innovative water quality monitoring programs.
Clean water is fundamental to public health and environmental sustainability and is increasingly under threat from climate change and other human-caused risks. Community-based initiatives that protect and improve water quality have been shown to have lasting, positive impacts on both human and environmental health. Furthermore, programs that engage communities in hands-on water quality improvement and conservation can foster environmental stewardship that benefits current and future generations.
This year’s event will recognize groups working to preserve clean water, including nonprofit organizations, environmental groups, and community organizations, for the tremendous role they play in protecting this vital resource.

April 2 | Closing the Retirement Savings Gap Webinar
2025-04-02 14:00 - 15:00 | IA
Join us for a free webinar presenting updates on the progress of the state retirement savings programs, designed to increase access to retirement savings for employees who do not have employer plans. We will look at recent studies examining the impact of these programs on retirement savings, private market retirement plan coverage, and potential interactions with other policies due to asset limits.

February 20 | Spring 25 Sussman Lecture: Students Are Humans First with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab
2025-02-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, 2800 University Avenue, Des Moines, IA, 50311, United States
The Harkin Institute is thrilled to announce this Fall’s Sussman Lecture, “Students Are Humans First” with Dr. Sara Goldrick-Rab. Dr. Goldrick-Rab will discuss the challenges students face in meeting their basic needs while earning a college education. She explored this topic in her award-winning book, Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream. The book documents the failures of policymakers and higher education institutions to make college affordable. Her scientific studies identifying and addressing college students’ basic needs for food, housing, childcare, transportation, and health supports sparked the internationally-known #RealCollege movement and inspired federal and state data collection and legislation, as well as countless privately-funded programs.
Find more information by clicking here.
