Sanford Case Competition Tackles Tech’s Big Questions

The Holsti-Anderson Room in Duke’s Rubenstein Library was abuzz this Spring with participants in the inaugural Sanford Public Policy Case Competition, an intensive, all-day event designed to plunge them into the complex, fast-evolving world of technology policy. Drawing students from approximately twelve different majors across Duke’s campus, the competition was a vivid illustration of the university's "Made for This" campaign, particularly its emphasis on preparing leaders to navigate the societal impacts of new technologies.

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Bringing such an ambitious event from concept to reality was a significant undertaking, and the active involvement of student leaders was crucial. Three dedicated students from the Public Policy Major's Union, Elaine Zhang, Aarav Dagar, and Chloe Decker, were instrumental in making the case competition happen. Working closely with Olivia DeJesus, Sanford's Undergraduate Public Policy Fellow from December 2024 through March 2025, this team contributed significantly to key aspects, from brainstorming engaging policy areas for undergraduates and identifying and contacting potential mentors and judges to crafting the competition prompt itself.

Solving real-world problems on a deadline

The premise was demanding: 48 hours prior, participants were presented with a scenario- a challenging prompt centered on a pressing technology policy issue and a handful of suggested readings. Their task on competition day was to digest this information, represent one of two stakeholder perspectives they were assigned that morning, and collaboratively craft a robust oral policy proposal (all within a stringent 4.5-hour timeframe and with teammates they had never met).

The pressure was on, but so was the opportunity for profound, hands-on learning. This direct engagement was key for Adrian Schmeichler Martinez, a rising sophomore studying Public Policy. "The most impactful part of the Public Policy Case Comp was the aspect of getting our hands dirty in dealing with a real-world, current policy problem that hasn't had a real solution implemented yet," he reflected. "This required us to research AI and social media moderation in depth and share our individual insights as a team in order to synthesize the best solution we could come up with."

The core intentions were clear: to enhance the Sanford undergraduate experience with a deeply interdisciplinary challenge, champion public policy's critical role to students campus-wide, and forge valuable networking connections between undergraduates and seasoned professionals in their fields of interest.

The March competition brought these intentions to life. As students huddled, debated, and drafted, they weren't alone. Five mentors, hailing from diverse corners of the AI, tech, and policy sectors (including leaders from Eightfold AI, Microsoft’s AI Operations, Lenovo, and CivicReach.AI, as well as an NC State PhD student with experience at Apple) circulated, offering guidance, posing critical questions, and helping teams refine their burgeoning proposals.

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This environment of collaborative learning was particularly resonant.

Charlotte Wu, a rising sophomore dual majoring in Public Policy and Psychology, emphasized this: "The most impactful part of participating in this competition was being able to meet and work alongside people who had such varied experiences in AI/tech policy! Whether it was the mentors and judges who brought in practical skills and insight from their careers or the students on my team who had interests in tech, I loved learning from their unique stories and figuring out how to apply their lessons so that we could produce a good case presentation."

The team-focused aspect was also a highlight for students like Zane Holley, a Public Policy major.

"Working in a team to approach a policy problem was the most impactful part of participating in the Sanford Public Policy Case Competition," Holley shared. "I enjoyed getting to know my teammates, and I learned a lot from collaborating with them to develop policy recommendations."

This sentiment underscores the competition's success in breaking down academic silos. Engineers found themselves deep in policy implications, while humanities students grappled with the nuanced language of emerging tech. The assigned stakeholder roles further pushed students to think beyond their immediate perspectives, fostering a holistic understanding of the multifaceted nature of policy-making.

Collaboration between majors brings new ideas

The tech policy theme, a cornerstone of Duke's strategic focus, provided fertile ground for this exploration. Charlotte Wu echoed the deepening understanding of policy's role in the tech sphere. "This experience has certainly opened my eyes to the huge overlap between the ethical use of AI and the field of public policy," she stated. "Of course, the world's rapid development and improvement of AI has positive implications, but it's also crucial to consider the policies and regulatory frameworks needed in order to protect the safety and rights of individuals." For Adrian Schmeichler Martinez, the competition sparked further academic curiosity: "This experience has increased my interest in tech policy and in the international economic dynamics of trade of goods and services (related to the outsourcing of jobs). I was able to apply some of the ideas we touched on in my foreign policy class, and I plan to take a tech policy class in the future."

The unique structure of the event also set it apart. "This experience was different than other events and programs I have participated in at Duke because of its competitive, team-based design," Holley explained. "It was especially unique in its incorporation of mentors, which provided a great opportunity to learn from people who work in related fields in the real world." Charlotte Wu elaborated on the distinct format, which allowed us to meet our mentors and teammates for the first time, craft a case presentation, and present it to the panel of judges—but this timing is part of what made the competition so exciting. Another unique aspect of this experience was having a designated mentor for each team of students. Our mentor (someone who works in the AI/tech field) was incredibly helpful with giving insight and advice into the real-world implications of the case packet we were working with.

After the intensive 4.5-hour working period, the focus shifted to presentation and scrutiny. Teams delivered their oral policy proposals to a panel of four distinguished judges and industry professionals with backgrounds mirroring the mentors' impressive credentials. The judges didn’t just listen; they engaged, probing the students' reasoning, questioning assumptions, and pushing for clarity during rigorous Q&A sessions.

The competition culminated in a finalist round, where the top two teams presented again, with the added challenge of fielding questions directly from each other, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and a deeper dive into their respective proposals. While prizes were awarded, the true takeaway for many was the experience itself: the rapid immersion, the intellectual sparring, and the direct feedback from those shaping the tech landscape. The presence of distinguished guests from across North Carolina further amplified the participants' real-world connection and networking potential.

With the success of this inaugural event, the hope is to establish the Sanford Public Policy Case Competition as an annual fixture, tackling different pressing policy areas each year. If the engagement and enthusiasm of the Spring 2025 participants are any indication, it’s an initiative well on its way to becoming a cornerstone of policy education at Duke, truly preparing students for the challenges they were "Made for This" to solve.