Robert Maxim is a research associate in the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings. Robert conducts research and analysis for the program’s innovation and managing disruption portfolio, with a focus on helping communities adapt to globalization and technological change. He has previously served as a Senior Analyst at the Boston Consulting Group, specializing in trade policy and economic development, as well as a Research Associate at the Council on Foreign Relations, focusing on industrial competitiveness, international trade, and digital policy. He holds an MA in International Trade in Investment Policy (now International Economic Policy), and a BA in International Affairs and Economics, both from the Elliott School.
Describe your current position and what made you interested in applying?
I am a research associate in the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings, and I am the senior researcher and policy analyst for what I call our “managing disruption” portfolio. I look at how individuals and communities can best adapt to major economic trends such as globalization, technological change, and, more recently, the COVID-19 economic crisis.
I originally came to DC to study and work in policy. In my undergraduate and graduate work, as well as in my first jobs, I focused heavily on U.S. trade and international economic policy. But over the past few years I’ve come to believe that many of the negative economic phenomena ascribed to global trends are actually the result of inadequate or unhelpful U.S. domestic policy. Without strong domestic policy, you can’t capture the benefits of smart foreign economic policy. My current position at Brookings provides me the opportunity to help communities across the U.S. adapt to major global trends in order to improve the wellbeing of their citizens.
What do you wish other people knew about your organization?
One of the primary divides within the think tank industry is between organizations that take institutional positions and those that do not. Brookings does not take institutional positions, which means that scholars and researchers have freedom to make conclusions based on whatever their research shows them. This is great, in that it allows Brookings scholars to express their own views on a topic, but it can be also be confusing for outside readers because sometimes different Brookings scholars may publish pieces on the same topic that have divergent views or policy recommendations. So it can be worth exploring what multiple Brookings authors are saying on a subject, because they may bring different or contrasting views to the topic.
What Elliott School courses would you recommend for students interested in your field and why?
I was an economics major, but I highly recommend taking anthropology classes. As someone who does policy, it’s important to understand the human and cultural side of any group of people you are working with. Policies often fail if the policymaker is unable to understand the lived experiences of the people who will be affected by them. Development Anthropology was particularly interesting to me as an economics student, and I really consider it an essential complement to any work in Development Economics.
I also think Native Peoples of North America should be a required class for anyone who wants to go into foreign policy. It’s important to understand that this country did not begin in 1776, and in fact there are hundreds of vibrant, living, and distinct Tribal Nations in North America. If you want to represent the United States abroad, or make informed policy about foreign cultures, it’s important also to recognize the many existing cultures that still live here, and the mistakes that the United States has made (and is still making) in interacting with them.
What was your experience with the job search post-graduation? Can you provide any wisdom for students starting their job search?
I applied to dozens of positions during my last year of graduate school, and nearly all of the applications I sent received no reply or interview. I ultimately landed as my first job out of graduate school with the support of one of my Elliott School professors, Dr. Susan Aaronson. There are two big pieces of advice I can recommend. The first is to apply to as many jobs as you can, and don’t get hung up on any single “perfect” job. Unfortunately, in a bad economy, there’s no guarantee that any application will work out. You may need to apply to dozens of jobs, and it may take six months or more to really land something. That’s totally normal. Second, I really recommend staying in touch with your favorite professors. They can be fantastic mentors and connectors, particularly those who are scholars in a field you hope to work in. Likewise, the more into my career I have gotten, the more readily I have leveraged GW professors’ scholarship in my own work.
What happy change have you seen or experienced since the being in quarantine?
I’m an enrolled citizen of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, based on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Our Tribe offers Wampanoag (also known as Massachusett) language classes for all Tribal members in an effort to revive our language, which went extinct over a century ago due to U.S. colonization.
Because of quarantine, all of our language classes have moved online and are being held over Zoom. The silver lining is that has allowed Tribal members like me, who spend most of their time living outside of Massachusetts, to be able to take classes for the first time. I’ve been able to enroll in classes three nights a week and am expanding my Wampanoag vocabulary. It’s been pretty cool because I can teach words to my niece, who is about to turn two and so is just learning how to speak. I’m hoping she can grow up using some Wampanoag phrases as part of her everyday life.
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The #ElliottProud profile series is managed by the Elliott School Office of Graduate Admissions and highlights graduate program alumni to answer common questions posed by prospective, incoming, and current students. For more information on this series or to submit questions, e-mail the Office of Graduate Admissions at esiagrad@gwu.edu.
The views expressed by students profiled do not necessarily represent those of organizations they work for, are affiliated with, or the Elliott School of International Affairs.
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