Social Sciences Newsblog

Winkler’s Environmental Sociology Class Recycling Report Sited in Waste Advantage Magazine

Published February 6, 2017

Waste Advantage Magazine published an article about the state of recycling in Houghton and Hancock, citing a study by Richelle Winkler’s (SS) class that kicked off a successful curbside recycling campaign.

Wellstead Co-Editor of “Policy Work in Canada”

Published January 31, 2017

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Adam Wellstead (SS) co-edited “Policy Work in Canada: Professional Practices and Analytical Capacities” in University of Toronto Press. It can be found here.

Schelly Quoted in Article on the Inter-connectivity of Food Production, Energy, and Water Usage

Published January 30, 2017

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Chelsea Schelly was quoted in the Sierra Magazine article Think Your Household Is Susatinable? Think Again. Schelly is a co- principal investigator on the project, “Reducing Household Food, Energy and Water Consumption: A Quantitative Analysis of Interventions and Impacts of Conservation.”, that has received a $1,477,068 grant from the National Science Foundation.

Mayer Publishes Article on Work-Life Balance

Published January 30, 2017

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Audrey Mayer (SS) authored an article in Science discussing work-life balance as a researcher, professor and single mom. In her words, “I’ve come to appreciate that there is no one schedule that best produces excellent science or demonstrates dedication to its practice.”

Banerjee, Schelly, & Halvorsen Publish on Public Perceptions of Wood-based Electricity Production

Published January 27, 2017

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Aparajita Banerjee (who recently completed her PhD in Environmental and Energy Policy), Chelsea Schelly (SS) and Kathleen E. Halvorsen (SS/SFRES) recently published the article “Understanding Public Perceptions of Wood-based Electricity Production in Wisconsin, United States: Place-based Dynamics and Social Representations” in the journal Environmental Sociology. It is available via Online First.

The article is based on research conducted with the support of funding from the National Science Foundation’s Partnerships in International Research and Education (PIRE) Program IIA #1243444 and Research Coordination Network (RCN) Program CBET #1140152.

Robins Quoted in Raconteur Magazine

Published January 17, 2017

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Jonathan Robins (SS) was interviewed by investigative reporter Peter Guest for a story in Raconteur Magazine on the growth of oil palm plantations in Southeast Asia. Robins discusses factors which contributed to the emergence of palm oil as the most important fat in the global food system.

You can read the article on medium.com.

Lafreniere and Scarlett’s GRACE Project Featured in GeoConnexion Magazine

Published January 6, 2017

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GeoConnexion, a UK based geotechnology magazine, featured an article about the partnership project between MTU Social Scientist’s Don Lafreniere and Sarah Scarlett and the Keweenaw National Historical Park to bring GIS-based career education to local high school students. Read the article.

Langston Interviewed on “Copper Country Today” Radio Program

Published January 2, 2017

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Uncategorized

Latika Gupta (SBE) and Nancy Langston (SS) discussed the Standing Rock Sioux and the Dakota Access Pipeline protests on Copper Country Today. The interview aired on Dec. 18 on WOLV FM, WHKB FM, and WCCY AM/FM.

Langston focused on sovereignty and environmental justice issues and Gupta provided an economic perspective. The entire interview can be found on the Copper Country Today website.

Options For Calumet’s Future Discussed

Published December 22, 2016

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From The Keweenaw Report

The Villages of Calumet and Laurium and Calumet Township all have highlights and their own challenges.

Dwindling populations and median household incomes well below the state average–especially in Calumet Village–have reduced the availability of services to residents over the years.

A team from Michigan Tech’s Department of Social Sciences has spent the last four months looking at the advantages and disadvantages of several options for the area.

Doctoral Student Kelley Christensen said, “We looked at five different possibilities. We looked at keeping the status quo, we looked at intergovernmental agreements, revenue sharing, the possibility of the Village of Calumet dissolving into the township, and we also looked at the possibility of Laurium and Calumet Village becoming a city.”

Changes could take years to implement and a monumental effort would be needed by all community members involved, but Christensen says it all starts with people willing to talk about the possibilities.

Christensen said, “We just really hope that this starts a conversation. Our purpose here was to provide information to them and give them a list of options, and then we’re hoping that it will facilitate discussion and participation in government.”

Their report is online for the public to review.

http://www.mtu.edu/social-sciences/research/reports/

The team will also post the power point presentation from Monday’s meeting online. Questions can be directed to Dr. Richelle Winkler of Michigan Tech’s Department of Social Sciences.

Henquinet Publishes on International Development Agencies in West Africa

Published December 15, 2016

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Kari Henquinet published an article “Production of Knowledge: International Development Agencies: Sahelian West Africa” in the collaborative project Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures Online (Brill publishing). The Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures Online crosses history, geographic borders and disciplines to create a groundbreaking reference work reflecting the very latest research on gender studies and the Islamic world. Read More