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Poverty scholars condemn opinion piece of NYU professor

Jul 30, 2020

A group of leading poverty scholars and directors of the National Collaborative of Poverty Centers has issued a strong statement of criticism of a recent opinion piece in the journal Society, authored by Lawrence Mead, a political scientist at New York University. The July 2020 article -- drawn from his book Burdens of Freedom: Cultural Difference and American Power -- has received widespread condemation from the academic community. (Read entire article).

Podcast from AEPP discusses food insecurity and Medicaid

Jun 22, 2020

A new podcast from Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy features a discussion between AEPP Managing Editor and UKCPR Research Affiliate Craig Gundersen, Winthrop University Assistant Professor of Economics Nick Moellman, and Oklahoma State Professor of Agribusiness Bailey Norwood about the impact of Medicaid expansion on food security and how online surveys contribute to the understanding of food insecurity in the U.S. The discussion elaborates on two recent articles from AEPP. Moellman discusses his article Healthcare and hunger: Effects of the ACA, Medicaid expansions and food insecurity in America, while Bailey discusses his research on Can Internet surveys mimic food insecurity rates published by the U.S. Government? Listen to the podcast.

Hardy appears on MSNBC; quoted in WSJ

Jun 10, 2020

Bradley Hardy, associate professor of economics and American University and UKCPR research affiliate, has appeared in two national media outlets for expert commentary about the disparate impact of SARS-CV-2 on minority populations in the United States. He was a featured commentator on MSNBC's The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell on June 12. View Hardy's appearance on MSNBC. Hardy was also quoted in an article in the Wall Street Journal about how the pandemic has wiped out record levels of employment and wages for African-Americans achieved during the past 10 years. Hardy noted that the pandemic impact exposed a range of economic insecurities experienced by African-Americans, including lack of access to medical care and concentrations in low-wage jobs. Access the article. Note that an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal is required.

UK Webinar will discuss economic impact of SARS-CV-2

Jun 3, 2020

A UK Alumni Association Webinar will feature UK Economics Department faculty in a discussion about the economic impacts of the SARS-CV-2 (Covid 19) pandemic. The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at 4 p.m. It will feature two economics faculty who have received Great Teacher awards and a panel of economics faculty. Gail Hoyt and Darshak Patel will lead the panel discussion, which includes Mike Clark, interim director of the Center for Business and Economic Research, Jenny Minier, Ken Troske, and UKCPR Director James Ziliak. The Webinar is open to the public and is the inaugral event for a new series titled Great Teachers on Great Challenges. Read the full story from UK Public Relations. Register for the Webinar.

June 3 seminar will present impact of social distancing

Jun 2, 2020

UKCPR affilaited researchers Aaron Yelowitz and Charles Courtemanche will present information about their research on the impact of state measures to reduce the spread of SARS-CV-2 in a public Webinar on June 3, noon-1 p.m. Their research found that social distancing measures significantly reduced the spread of the deadly virus. Serving as discussants for the event will be Teresa M. Waters, professor and Wethington Endowed Chair in Health Management and Policy, UK College of Public Health, and James Ziliak, UK professor of Economics and director of UKCPR. To view the webinar click the following link or paste it into your Web browser: https://cph.uky.edu/DistancingData

Ziliak and Moffitt argue for bigger Safety Net response to Covid-19 crisis

May 14, 2020

UKCPR Director James Ziliak and Johns Hopkins Economics Professor Robert Moffitt have authored a new analysis in The Hill on the need for a more robust federal response to mitigate the enconomic impact of the coronavirus. They cite job losses not seen since the Great Depression and devastating shocks to household incomes as evidence for the need to "Deploy the Safety Net." Read more.

Ziliak and Hardy argue for direct payments to mitigate Covid-19 impact

Mar 24, 2020

UKCPR director James Ziliak and research affiliate Bradley Hardy argue in a Brookings Institute policy brief that the federal government should expedite direct payments to U.S. households to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus. Because the response to Covid-19 is affecting every sector of the economy rapidly, the two Brookings affiliates believe that payment amounts should cover about 60 percent of U.S. median household income and be made to every household, without delay. They also recommend immediate relaxing of rules to safety net programs to meet the challenges of caring for the nation’s poor and vulnerable populations. Read the entire Brookings Institution brief.

UKCPR awards new research projects examining senior hunger

Mar 20, 2020

The University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research awarded nine new projects that will examine a variety of questions related to food hardships facing older persons in the United States. The program -- made possible with funding from the Food and Nutrition Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- will provide about $1.2 million for research into the impact of factors such as medical expenses, food production activities, and chronic disease on food insecurity and related health and material hardships among seniors. Read the article.

UKCPR announces awardees of new food insecurity research using PSID data

Mar 19, 2020

The University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research, in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service and the Food and Nutrition Service, awarded six new projects that utilize the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) to analyze household food insecurity and its links to food assistance program participation, work, income, consumption, and wealth. The PSID began in 1968 as a survey of 4,800 American families and has since followed the children and grandchildren of original respondents. Today there are more than 11,000 PSID families and 26,000 individuals who participate in the survey. Read full story.

UKCPR funded research published in top-tier journal

Jan 28, 2020

A UKCPR funded research project at the University of Michigan was published in the January 2020 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The research study, titled “Childhood Food Involvement: Protection against food insecurity in young adulthood” was supported through UKCPR’s research program aimed at exploring data in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). The Michigan study looked at family behavioral factors that mitigate food insecurity in young adulthood. Read more.

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