The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center is a nonpartisan, independent research and public service unit of the University of Maine (UMaine).
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Episode Overview In this episode, we sit down with Jennifer Grant, Lisa Smith, and Katherine Freund to discuss the critical challenges and innovative, community-driven solutions shaping transportation resilience, volunteer driver programs, and the future of mobility in rural Maine. Guest Bios Jennifer Grant – Director of the Bureau of Planning at the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT).…
Today, we’ll be interviewing Linda Silka, Sarah Kirn, and Jane Disney on citizen and community science in Maine. Dr. Linda Silka is a social and community psychologist by training, with much of her work focusing on building community-university research partnerships. She has several decades of experience in leading community-university research partnerships on environmental, economic development,…
In this episode, we interview Rebecca Gibbons, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Southern Maine, who discusses why Maine would be a strategically and politically amenable place for nuclear weapons placement, as well as the current state of affairs regarding nuclear weapons. Donate to Maine Policy Review:…
In this episode, we interview Chris O'Brien on Maine’s strategic role as a nuclear frontier during the Cold War, highlighting how bases like Loring became central to national defense. We examine the legacy of Senator Margaret Chase Smith, balancing her famous stand against McCarthyism with her firm support for nuclear military readiness. Donate to Maine Policy Review:…
In this episode, we discuss the high-stakes expiration of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs)—a pandemic-era policy that is set to sunset at the end of 2025. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) laid the groundwork for subsidized health insurance in 2010, the 2021 American Rescue Plan significantly boosted these savings, making coverage affordable for thousands who previously sat just outside…
In this episode, we explore the critical role whales play in the marine ecosystem and how advances in research technology have transformed our ability to study and protect them. Our guest, Toby Stephenson, shares inspiring moments from the field, insights from recent population studies, and the challenges posed by a changing climate. We also discuss the importance of collaboration between…
In this episode, library leaders from across Maine share how their roles reflect the modern mission of public libraries and why these institutions remain vital to their communities. Listeners will learn how Maine libraries are adapting to meet today’s needs, the impact of federal funding cuts, and the strategies librarians employ to defend intellectual freedom amid growing pressures for…
In this episode, we interview Shannon Coffin, Lynne Holland, Lisa Morin, and Amanda Levesque on food insecurity in Maine’s higher and lower education systems. This episode is part 2 of our series on food insecurity in Maine. If you haven’t listened yet, please check out part 1, where we discuss the statewide prevalence of food insecurity in Maine. Part 1:…
In this episode, we interview Heather Paquette, Kelly Sirimoglu, and Justin Strasburger on the prevalence of food insecurity in Maine. Resources https://www.gsfb.org/2025-2030-strategic-plan/ https://www.prfoodcenter.org/ https://www.fullplates.org/ Donate to Maine Policy Review: https://mcspolicycenter.umaine.edu/donate-to-maine-policy-review/ Our Website:…
In this episode, we feature a special host, Nicole Leblanc, who is a writer for our podcast. This episode focuses on climate resilience, Maine's efforts toward clean energy and transportation, and Maine's climate change infrastructure and will have two segments. The first will feature a one-on-one interview with Chief Engineer for the Maine Department of Transportation Joyce Taylor. The second…
