Typically, during economic crises, the federal government provides relief policies that disproportionately benefit White men. However, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., women were most impacted by changes in the economy and workforce. Political scientists Margaret Perez Brower and Jamila Michener will examine how the impacts of COVID-19 relief policies varied among working women of different racial and ethnic groups. They will conduct interviews for their study.

Past research has found that voters prefer politicians who look like them. However, recent studies suggest that White Democrats now tend to prefer politicians of color, whereas White Republicans continue to lean towards White representatives. Political scientist Anna Mikkelborg will examine how perceptions of Black government representation influence White voters' beliefs about government legitimacy. She will conduct a series of public opinion surveys for her study.

Inadequate nutrition can harm children’s health and development, including academic outcomes. A promising way to boost child nutrition is through home meal programs. Psychologists Rebecca Ryan, Ariel Kalil, and Anna Gassman-Pines, sociologist Pamela Herd, political scientist and public policy scholar Carolyn Barnes, and public policy scholar and behavioral scientist Elizabeth Linos will evaluate the effects of a home meal program on student academic outcomes in a low-income community. They will conduct a field experiment for their study.