In this episode, we interview Linda Silka, Sarah Kirn, and Jane Disney on citizen and community science in Maine. Dr. Linda Silka is a social and community psychologist by training, with much of her work focusing on building community-university research partnerships. She has several decades of experience in leading community-university research partnerships on environmental, economic […]
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As Maine residents adjust their clocks for Daylight Saving Time today, March 8, it is important to clarify the current legislative standing of LD 3, titled “An Act to Adopt Eastern Daylight Time Year-round Contingent on Federal Approval.” While the biennial ritual of “springing forward” remains in effect for now, the state has reached a […]
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In this episode, we interview Rebecca Gibbons, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Southern Maine, who discusses why Maine would be a strategically and politically amenable place for nuclear weapons placement, as well as the current state of affairs regarding nuclear weapons. Transcript Coming Soon
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An article in Maine Policy Review, “From Resilience Planning to Action: Small Towns and Big Costs” was cited in the Bangor Daily News article, “Hancock County towns grapple with keeping coastal roads above rising seas.” The news article highlights the urgent infrastructure challenges in Hancock County, where flooding frequently threatens to isolate peninsula and island […]
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In honor of this President’s Day, we celebrate our namesake, Margaret Chase Smith, who was the first woman nominated by a major political party for the highest office in the land. She made history during the New Hampshire primary. Her candidacy was built on a foundation of integrity and her famous “Declaration of Conscience,” which […]
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Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center is currently accepting applications for the 2026 NEW Leadership Institute! Institute Dates are from May 29-June 2, 2026. The application deadline is Friday, March 20th, 2026. For questions, please contact Mary Mahoney-O’Neil: maryellen.mahoneyoneil@maine.edu
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The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine proudly announces the launch of Season 9 of its podcast, Maine Policy Matters. Dedicated to making public policy information more accessible, the podcast serves policymakers, government officials, business and nonprofit leaders, and the general public. Maine Policy Matters continues to offer insightful panel discussions […]
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In this episode, we interview Chris O’Brien on Maine’s strategic role as a nuclear frontier during the Cold War, highlighting how bases like Loring became central to national defense. We examine the legacy of Senator Margaret Chase Smith, balancing her famous stand against McCarthyism with her firm support for nuclear military readiness. Transcript [00:00:00] Chris […]
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Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center research associate was interviewed by the Portland Press Herald to discuss staffing shortages in fire departments across Maine. “Alexander Rezk, a research associate at the policy center, agreed to discuss a 2020 survey of Hancock County fire departments that corroborated much of what the fire chiefs elsewhere had to say.‘I […]
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In this episode, we discuss the high-stakes expiration of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs)—a pandemic-era policy that is set to sunset at the end of 2025 with Hilary Schneider, Jordan Rhodes, and Hilary Schneider, Jordan Rhodes, and Meg Garrat-Reed. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) laid the groundwork for subsidized health insurance in 2010, […]
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