REU Site - Metropolitan Reform: From Government to Governance

University Of Louisville Research Foundation Inc, Louisville KY

Investigators

Abstract

This ten-week summer REU Site will host twelve undergraduate students each summer to explore issues surrounding the consolidation of the metro area of Louisville, Kentucky. The research will examine, both quantitatively and qualitatively, change and perceptions of change in the newly formed Metro Louisville. The summer program will begin with workshops covering: research literature on metropolitan reform; research methods in the social sciences; and ethical issues in the conduct of social science research. In addition to the workshops, throughout the ten-week summer period students will attend colloquia in which invited community leaders will discuss pre- and post-merger issues. Students also will have frequent topical meetings with other student members and faculty mentors. The intellectual merit of the proposed research is that it will advance social science knowledge regarding causes of consolidation, governmental efficiency with respect to delivery of services, economic development and job growth, and movement toward or away from equity by examining the recent, rare event: the consolidation of a large city and its surrounding areas. The broader impacts of the research capture the essence of the REU program: to involve undergraduate students in the total research experience by allowing them to conceptualize their own project-related research question, design the research to address that question, collect and analyze appropriate data, and report their results in both written and oral presentations. This award contributes to the Foundation's continuing efforts to attract talented students into careers in science through active undergraduate research experiences.