Master of Public Affairs students Jacklyn Alsbro and Abbie Klein presented their research at the November Fall Research Conference with the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM).
This year’s conference, “Forging Collaborations for Transformative and Resilient Policy Solutions,” focused on how evidence and evaluation assist governments at all levels to create effective policy solutions. More than 2,500 people registered for the Seattle conference, which included 450 sessions.
Alsbro, who is also pursuing an energy analysis and policy certificate, presented research on energy policy titled “Who Benefits from Renewable Energy Projects? Examining Power Purchase Agreement Revenue Flows in Michigan and Ohio.” She found that much of the revenue generated from wind and solar energy projects in Michigan leaves local communities and the state.
“I advocate that providing this complete information would empower host communities to make fully informed decisions and negotiate for greater local benefits, such as increased landowner payments or property tax revenues,” she said.
The project was an extension of research Alsbro started during her undergraduate education at Michigan State University, where she studied environmental studies and sustainability. Her time in La Follette’s MPA program has helped her learn skills to build on the research.
“I have learned a lot of analytical skills in my classes on microeconomics, statistical methods, and energy analysis which has proved useful because I have used these skills in a research project that I have continued working on from my undergrad institution,” Alsbro said.
Klein, an MPA student, also presented her project, “Centering Children’s Voices: Rethinking How We Study Child Poverty.” Her work identified a new way to conduct research on child poverty, which includes children at every stage of the research process using a variety of methods. She found that this process reveals new dimensions of children’s experiences, including resourcefulness, social inclusion, and agency, leading to policies that better address community-identified needs.
“By centering children’s voices, we can develop more accurate measures of child poverty and design more effective and equitable policy interventions,” Klein said. “Ultimately, the project calls for moving from studying children to studying with them.”
Before starting at La Follette, Klein earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and comparative human development at the University of Chicago in 2020, a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Northwestern University in 2021, and a master’s degree in developmental psychology from UW–Madison.
Conferences such as APPAM allow students to share the innovative research they are conducting with industry experts and researchers. Alsbro said that through her conversations at the conference, she received encouraging feedback that has motivated her to continue sharing her project’s findings.
“Seeing the breadth of impactful work in the field was genuinely exciting,” Klein explained. “Connecting with thoughtful, intentional researchers committed to creating change—especially those engaged in community-based policy work—was deeply meaningful and gave me a valuable perspective on my career path and goals.”
– Written by Digital Content Coordinator Ellie Clark