Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center

Maine Policy Matters Podcast Ranked 19 on Feedspot’s Top Non-partisan Podcasts

Our podcast, Maine Policy Matters, was recently ranked number 19 of Feedspot’s “70 Best Non Partisan Podcasts” list.

S8E2 The Future of Whales in Maine: Science, Policy, and People

In this episode, we explore the critical role whales play in the marine ecosystem and how advances in research technology have transformed our ability to study and protect them. Our guest, Toby Stephenson, shares inspiring moments from the field, insights from recent population studies, and the challenges posed by a changing climate. We also discuss […]

National Podcast Day 2025

Today is National Podcast Day, and we’re celebrating the release of the 8th season of the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center’s very own Maine Policy Matters. The first two episodes have been released: the Importance of Maine’s Libraries, and the Future of Whales in Maine! Library leaders from across Maine share how their roles reflect […]

S8E1 The Evolving Role of Maine’s Libraries: Funding, Freedom, and Community

In this episode, library leaders from across Maine share how their roles reflect the modern mission of public libraries and why these institutions remain vital to their communities. Listeners will learn how Maine libraries are adapting to meet today’s needs, the impact of federal funding cuts, and the strategies librarians employ to defend intellectual freedom […]

Maine Policy Review Cited in Portland Press Herald

An article in Maine Policy Review, “Migrationland”: Social and Economic Impacts of Demographic Churn in Maine and Cumberland County Post-Pandemic“, was cited in “Thousands of people moved to Maine since the pandemic. The influx isn’t over.” The article discusses how more than 126,000 people have moved to Maine since the pandemic, driven largely by remote […]

Group of children gathered around Nicole LeBlanc and a coworker reading a book in a classroom.

Interview with Student Technical Writer Nicole LeBlanc

Can you describe your role and any current projects you’re working on? At the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, I am a writer for the podcast Maine Policy Matters. I write and revise episode scripts based on peer-reviewed articles published by the Center, as well as pitch ideas for the podcast about policy issues relevant […]

June 26, 1991: Senator Smith Visits Her Namesake Center at UMaine

On June 26, 1991, Senator Margaret Chase Smith visited the University of Maine’s Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy for a luncheon.

Dr. Taylor Lange Publishes New Study on Community Cooperation in Evolutionary Human Sciences

Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center’s Dr. Taylor Lange recently published an article in Evolutionary Human Sciences, “Observational evidence that economic reciprocity pervades self-organized food co-operatives,” wherein they report in situ measurements of collective action, which show that reciprocity is abundant in organizations embedded in a cash economy.

President Dwight Eisenhower and Margaret Chase Smith, Skowhegan, 1955.

Remembering Margaret Chase Smith

Farmer holding a wooden crate of various vegetables.

S7E3 Food Equity in Education: Where Maine Stands and Where It’s Headed

In this episode, we interview Shannon Coffin, Lynne Holland, Lisa Morin, and Amanda Levesque on food insecurity in Maine’s higher and lower education systems. This episode is part 2 of our series on food insecurity in Maine. If you haven’t listened yet, please check out Part 1, where we discuss the statewide prevalence of food […]