Faculty Research
Driving Urban Growth: Joel Mendez on the Impact of Streetcar Development
Professor Joel Mendez highlights the transformative impact of streetcar development on urban growth. His research delves into how streetcar systems can drive economic growth, enhance accessibility, and reshape city landscapes. By examining various streetcar projects, Mendez provides valuable insights into the benefits of modern transit initiatives for urban revitalization.
Building Better Elections: Zach Mohr Advocates for Local Funding Reform
In anticipation of the upcoming elections, Associate Professor Zach Mohr highlights the critical importance of how we finance election administration at the local level. Drawing from his recent testimony before the U.S. House, Mohr emphasizes that adequate and equitable funding is essential to ensure fair and efficient election processes. His research focuses on reforming current funding mechanisms to better support local election offices, thereby strengthening the foundation of our democratic system.
Kansas Energy Transition Atlas is the result of a research team led by Ward Lyles
KU researchers build interactive atlas that gathers Kansas wind energy regulations, information for all 105 counties.
2024 recipient of the World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance, Rachel Krause
This award recognizes Dr. Krause’s outstanding research in exploring innovative pathways to improve environmental performance, particularly in reducing consumption and waste. Her work embodies the spirit of sustainability and progress that this award celebrates.
Misty Heggeness leading project to quantify care economy
People might not often think of work done in the home as part of the larger economy. But SPAA professor Misty Heggeness is leading a new project to collect data on the care economy to quantify the often underrecognized work of providing care for others and make the information available in a central location to help policymakers, researchers, nonprofits and others access this vital economic data.
Robert Wood Johnson funded study on preemption's effects on health, economic disparities in Kansas City
Knowing that economic and racial disparities are correlated with poor health and lower life expectancy, in 2015 Kansas City area policymakers tried to increase the local minimum wage. Yet, after the Kansas City Council passed its ordinance, the Missouri Legislature countered with a bill restricting local governments from setting a higher local minimum wage than the state. Chris Koliba, Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor of Public Administration, Policy & Governance in the School of Public Affairs & Administration at KU, and Nancy Augustine, director of the Center for Intergovernmental Partnerships at the National Academy of Public Administration, will lead the study.
SPAA Faculty Research Centers at IPSR
