Research Programs & Public Service

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Rubin co-authors report guiding U.S. toward carbon-neutral economy

The director of the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center co-authored a strategic plan to guide the U.S. toward a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 as a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN USA). University of Maine economist Jonathan Rubin and other members of SDSN USA, which was launched to implement the United Nations’ sustainable […]

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Maine Government Interns

63 Students Interning in Maine Government This Summer

This year, the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center placed a record number of 63 interns in Maine state, municipal, and county governments through the Maine Government Summer Internship Program. 45 interns work in state agencies, while 18 serve in municipal and county government offices. These internships are paid, full-time, 12-week positions. The internship program benefits a wide-range of Maine […]

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Maine’s Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure Needs

MCS Policy Center Director Jonathan Rubin presented a talk describing the current state of Maine’s electric vehicles and infrastructure to the Maine State Chamber of Commerce’s Energy Summit on April 26, 2019 at the Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell, Maine. With a new legislature and administration in place, Maine energy policy is a priority in Augusta […]

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Maine Policy Scholars begin their research

Six University of Maine System students are participating in the Maine Policy Scholars Program for 2019. The students from USM, UMF, UMM, UMPI, UMA, and UMaine have started their research projects on a policy topic of their own choosing that is relevant to Maine. These topics include first-generation college students, resources for victims of human […]

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Research Scholarship Opportunity

Apply now for the Margaret Chase Smith Public Affairs Scholarship An academic-year scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $3500 to support an independent research project focused on a public policy topic. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. The deadline for student applications is noon on Monday, April 15, 2019. Eligibility criteria: • Be a Maine […]

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MCS Recipe Research Collaborative

The Policy Center is leading a collaborative research project on campus which includes students, faculty, and staff who are passionate about food. The researchers are curious about the role of food, recipes, and cooking in politics and public life, and are eager to share those lessons with a broad range of audiences – from students to […]

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Sorg’s Research Shows Slight Decrease in Drug Deaths

The Maine Office of Attorney General has released the most recent measure of drug deaths in Maine in a report compiled by Professor Marcella Sorg of the Policy Center, revealing a slight decline since the previous year. The 2018 third-quarter drug death report found that from January to September, the total number of drug-related deaths was […]

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Trostel interviewed for Mainebiz article on Maine’s labor market

Policy Center and School of Economics Professor Philip Trostel was interviewed for the recent Mainebiz article on Maine’s tight labor market as indicated by it’s relatively low unemployment rate. Trostel points out that despite the low unemployment rate other data are not indicating that the labor market is especially favorable for workers. In particular, wages have […]

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