New Projects

Juliana Spahr: Who Gets to Be a Writer? Studying Equity in Contemporary US Literature

  • This project is a foundational inquiry into the mechanics of literary production and an attempt to better understand the historical trajectories of authorship, prestige, institutional forces, publishing, and circulation that have a significant impact on both literary aesthetics and access across the late twentieth century into the present. ​

Carol Theokary: The Equity Toll of “Business as Usual” during the Pandemic: Can we do better?

  • This study investigates whether private sector enterprises that utilize these approaches potentially contribute to the growing inequities between the affluent vs. underserved consumer groups. Using the example of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic, we uncover that the allocation of scarce resources by private companies did not serve the pressing needs of small business owners in socio-economically disadvantaged communities.​

Louisa Smith: Impact Evaluation of Maine’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Law on Postpartum Individuals

  • This project pilots a survey to evaluate the impact of Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law on postpartum individuals. Recognizing the law’s potential to enhance health and economic outcomes for families, particularly in the context of Maine’s demographic shifts and rural health disparities, this study aims to inform rulemaking and ensure equitable benefit distribution.​

Michael Wilczek: Creating Awareness of Life Science Careers for Rural Communities in Maine

  • This project will use augmented reality technology to help high school students throughout Maine understand biological concepts and techniques that are key to life science careers such as: polymerase chain reaction, protein quantification assays, and gel electrophoresis. The embedded partnership with Jobs for Maine Graduates will illustrate how these classroom fundamentals build onramps to STEM careers and support Maine’s comprehensive economic development plan to recruit and retain talent.​

Omar Badreldin: Analyzing Existing Data to Justify Recent Policy Changes in Zoning in Ontario, Canada

  • The goal of this project is to develps a series of AI workshops for high school students and teachers in collaboration with VentureKids in Toronto. Graduating students will collaborate with the Statistics Canada team to apply their skills to contemporary public policy challenges. The students will apply their learning and perform analysis and data predictions. ​