Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

PRESENTATIONS

In the second year of W5001, over 60 in-person and virtual presentations were made to fellow researchers at annual meetings of professional associations, university seminars, and other research conferences, including the Rural Sociological Society, the American Sociological Association, the Population Association of America, the American Association of Geographers, the Association of 1890 Research Directors, the American Public Health Association, and the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, among a number of other smaller regional conferences and meetings.

POLICY OUTREACH

Members consulted at the highest levels of federal policy as members or consultants for: the Office of Management and Budget’s Interagency Committee on Metropolitan and Micropolitan Standards, the Office of Management and Budget’s Interagency Working Group on Race and Ethnicity, the PAA Committee on Population, the Sixth National Climate Assessment, the Institute of Museums and Library Services Library Statistics Working Group, the Office of Management and Budget’s Federal Committee on Statistical Policy Directive No. 15, the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program, the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Indian Country Data Working Group, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on Managed Retreat in the
U.S. Gulf Coast Region.

Members conducted briefings, workshops and consultations to state and federal policymakers, extension officials, community organizations, and other stakeholder groups, including: National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine K-12 Stem Education and Workforce Development Committee; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committee on Managed Retreat in the U.S. Gulf Coast Region; Wisconsin extension; 2023 USU Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water & Air; USU Extension; Bear Lake Research Community Workshop, Coal Miners and Mental Health Event in Carbon County, Utah; Nurse Leaders of Montana; Montana State Library; Team Peninsula Michigan; Michigan State Demographer’s Office; Copper Shore Community Health Foundation; Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity; UK House of Commons; Mississippi State Senate, Colleges and Universities Subcommittee; Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Delta Regional Authority; Oregon Department of Human Services; Living Waters Cooperative; American Farm Bureau Federation Midwest Directors Annual Meeting; Seed Business Management Program Iowa State University; Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Ag Leaders Institute; Iowa Health Care Association; Rural School Advocates of Iowa.

In addition to in-person or virtual briefings, members also prepared and published 23 policy briefs and reports. Additionally, a team of W5001 members conducted a series of four virtual listening sessions with 80+ Cooperate Extension practitioners and other rural stakeholders to discuss future directions for rural demographic research.

MEDIA OUTREACH

Members communicated research findings to the public with over 28 interviews through many media outlets, including in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, Boston Globe, Herald Journal News, Daily Montanan, The Conversation, Magniola Tribune, Mississippi Today, Washington Post, Wisconsin Public Radio, Des Moines Register, KCRG TV Cedar Rapids, Axios, River to River Iowa Public Radio, Minnesota Public Radio, New Hampshire Public Radio, and New Hampshire Union Leader, among others.

NEW FUNDING

Members received external funding to extend and build on research to meet project objectives. This included the following:

J. Tom Mueller (PI). R21: Understanding the Role of Bedrock, Settlement Patterns, and Water Quality in Human Health Equity. Co-Investigator: Caitlin Hodges. 2024 – 2026. $440,000.

Jessica Schad: “Housing Costs in Tourism Dependent Rural Communities.” (PI), Metropolitan Center for Applied Research & Extension ($13,022), 2024-2025.

Jessica Schad: “Engagement, Consent & Community Wellbeing in Transitioning Coal Communities.” (Co-PI), Common Ground Consortium - Energy Policy Institute ($79,289), 2024-2025

Jessica Schad: “Mapping Place Change, Risk Perceptions & Adaptation Experiences of Drying Lakes in Arid Climates.” (Co-PI), Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center ($336,562), 2024-2026

 John Green (PI), “Integrated Activities.”Regional Rural Development Centers Program. USDA-NIFA. ($617,167) - 10/1/2024 - 9/30/2024.

John Green (PI), “Broadband and Digital Access Extension Case Studies.” Extension Foundation/NTAE. ($25,000) - 1/15/2024 - 9/30/2024.

John J. Green (PD), “Providing Resources and Opportunities through Partnerships and Equity, Locally (PROPEL) Technical Assistance Initiative.” Cooperative Agreement with the Delta Regional Authority. ($600,000) - 7/23/2024 - 7/23/2026.

Carrie Henning-Smith (PI), Leif Jensen (Co-PI), Shannon Monnat (Co-PI), John Green (Co-PI), Lori Hunter (Co-PI). National Institute on Aging (R24 AG089064).
“Interdisciplinary Network on Rural Population Health and Aging.” ($1,941,727). 2024-2029

Jennifer Ailshire (MPI), Sarah Burgard (MPI), Taylor Hargrove, (MPI), Jennifer Karas Montez (MPI), Shannon Monnat (Co-I). National Institute on Aging (2R24AG045061). Network on Life Course Health Dynamics and Disparities in 21st Century America” ($2,042,579). 2024-2029.

Alexis Santos-Lozada (PI), Rhubart, D. (Co-I) and Fisher, Z. (Co-I). R21 Grant. "The impact of Medicaid expansion on the rural mortality penalty in the United States." National Institute of Health, Total Requested: $275,000.

Tim Slack Co-PI (PI Amin Kargarian, LSU). “Equitable Resilience Assessment in a Changing Climate: A System-of-Systems Approach.” Louisiana State University, Provost’s Fund for Innovation in Research. 2024–2025. $75,000.

Tim Slack Co-PI (PIs Robert Twilley and Greg Upton, LSU). “Pelican Gulf Coast Carbon Removal.” U.S. Department of Energy. 2024–2025. $4,874,055.

Eloris Speight (PI), John J. Green (Co-PI), “Heirs’ Property Ethics Toolkits.” JP Morgan Chase Foundation ($300,000) - 10/1/2023 - 9/30/2025.

Shelley Clark, PI (Co-Is Matthew Brooks, Florida State University and Rachel Margolis, Western University), “Rural Lives in Canada: A Focus on Children, Youth, and Families”, Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight Grant (2024-2029): $231,567 CAD (#435-2024-0461)

Shuai Zhou, Co-PI (PI Chuan Liao). “Agricultural Floodplain Rice Farming as Adaptation to Climate Change in NYS.” Toward Sustainability Foundation Grant at Cornell University. 02/01/2024 – 01/31/2025. $11,000.

Shuai Zhou, Co-PI (PIs Chuan Liao and Stephan Schmidt). “Energy and Society Research Working Group 2024-2026.” Polson Institute for Global Development. 2024 – 2026. $3,000.

Guangqing Chi, Partner PI. NSF Research, Innovation, Synergies, and Education. "Belmont Forum Collaborative Research: RETRACE-ResilienceS to Climate Risks: Lessons from Arctic and Pacific Communities" (Award # RISE-2420587). 7/15/2024– 6/30/2027. $369,376 (Lead PI: Charlotte Heinzlef, UVSQ, France. Total award: Euro €993,000).

Guangqing Chi, PI. NSF Office of International Science & Engineering. "Collaborative Research: NSF-NFRF: The Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON): The Climate-Food-Health Nexus" (Award # OISE-2429010). 6/1/2024–5/31/2027. $225,625 (Lead PI: Tristan Pearce, University of Northern British Columbia. Total award: $3,519,247).

Mildred Warner. “School Based Health Centers - An approach to address health disparities among rural youth,” National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health, with Sharon Tennyson, Wendy Brunner, John Sipple, Elaine Wethington, Xue Zhang, $3,118,676, 9/24/2023 – 4/30/2028. OSP 155450. NIH # R01MD018385.

Mildred Warner. “Universal Broadband Access: The Role of States and Localities,” The Pew Charitable Trusts, #35879, $99,828, April 2022-2023, $136,470 May 2023- June 2024 with Natassia Bravo.

David Peters (PI), Ramesh Balayar, Biswa Das, Himar Hernandez. “Understanding Rural Quality of Life in an Era of Demographic Transition and COVID-19 Recovery: 2024 Wave of the Iowa Small Towns Project.” USDA-AFRI-NIFA. ($644,595) 10/1/2023-9/30/2027.

Lindsey Hastings (PI), Mary Emery, Lawrence McElravy, Jennifer Rasmussen, Dave Peters, Eric Thompson. “Beyond the Farm Gate: Building a Leadership Development System to Support Rural Community Wellbeing and Prosperity.” USDA-AFRI-NIFA. ($647,932) 10/1/2023 - 9/30/2027.

AWARDS

Yue Sun was awarded the 2024 Olaf Larson Graduate Student Paper Award from the Rural Sociological Society.

John J. Green was awarded a Special Appreciation for Leadership Award from the Rural Sociological Society.

John J. Green and others were awarded the 2024 Diversity Award from the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals for the Collaborations that Work with 1890 and 1862 Extension Project.

Mildred Warner was awarded the 2024 Upstate American Planning Association Best Practice Award for the Guidebook for Age-Friendly Planning.

Mildred Warner was awarded the 2023 Charles Benton Broadband & Society Prize for the paper “State Grant Programs for Broadband: Implications for Federal Policy Design.”

David Rothwell was elected Fellow in the Society for Social Work Research.

TEACHING

J. Tom Mueller: 13 Students taught

Matthew Foulkes: 152 students taught, 1 PhD committee, 5 MA chair, 3 MA committee

Jessica Schad: 8 students taught, 5 PhD chair, 1 MA chair Greg Gilpin: 16 students taught, 1 MA chair, 2 MA committee

Shannon Monnat: 5 students taught, 3 PhD chair, 2 PhD committees Danielle Rhubart: 300 students taught, 1 PhD committee

Tim Slack: 605 students taught, 1 PhD chair, 1 MA chair, 7 PhD committees E (Eddy) Helen Berry: 2 PhD students advised

Paige Kelly: 5 students taught

Guangqing Chi: 10 students taught, 3 PhD chair, 11 PhD committee Brooks: 90 students taught, 3 MA Chair, 1 PhD committee

Linda Lobao 1 PhD chair, 3 PhD committees

Hua Qin: 30 undergraduate students and 20 graduate students taught, 2 PhD chair, 3 PhD committees

Jacinda K. Dariotis: 9 graduate students taught; 4 PhD advised; 2 PhD committees; 3 undergraduate research assistants and 4 graduate research assistants

Kenneth Johnson: 15 graduate students taught, 1 PhD Chair; 2 PhD Committees

Mildred Warner, 40 students taught, 3 PhD chair, 3 PhD committees, 11 masters committees

David Rothwell: 27 students taught, 2 PhD chair, 8 PhD committees, 2 masters Eileen Avery: 131 students taught, 2 PhD chair, 1 PhD committee

Katherine Curtis: 50 students taught, 10 PhD chair, 2 predoctoral trainees, 3 undergraduate research scholars, 2 PhD committees, 1 MA committee, 1 postdoctoral trainee

David Peters: 180 students taught, 1 PhD chair, 6 PhD committees, 3 MS committees, 45 undergraduate advisees.

Leif Jensen: 24 students taught, 1 PhD chair, 13 PhD committees

DISSERTATIONS

Koci, Kristen Rene, "Wellbeing, Mental Health, and Natural Resource Dependency in Rural Utah" (2024).https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd2023/172 (Utah State University)

Sun, Yue, 2024, “Explaining Geographic Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: The Roles of Physical Environment, Industry Structures, and State Policies.” (Syracuse University)

Henness, Steve, May 2024. The Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) Program: A Mixed Methods Case Study. (University of Missouri-Columbia)

Aldag, Austin, 2024. Intergovernmental Relations for US Local Governments: Intermunicipal Cooperation, State Preemption, and Federal Grant Management,
(Cornell University)

Impacts Related to Objectives

1. Published research on the impact of Medicaid expansion on rural-urban and ethnic and racial mortality disparities, showing mortality increases in rural America (Objective 1). Published work on the social correlates of COVID-19 vaccination among adults and their dependent children (Objective 3). Received funding to study the role of bedrock, settlement patterns, and drinking water quality on human health equity in rural areas (Objective 3).

2. Published research on the post-graduation location preferences among international students in Missouri who are preparing to participate in the Optional Practical Training program (OPT) (Objective 1). The findings have policy implications for rural communities seeking to attract and retain skilled workers (Objective 2).

3. Published research in five journal articles that span Objective 2. These address the role of the state and its policies for population well-being. In one article, we analyzed localities’ use of cutback (austerity) policies such as layoffs, hiring freezes, and cutting back services. Factors contributing to these policies are poorer economic conditions, political context such as citizens’ views on cutting government, and institutional characteristics of local governments. While urban counties use a greater number of cutback policies, urban-rural differences become non-significant once the factors above are included, indicating rural and urban governments are influenced by similar factors in the adoption of austerity policies. Another article examines the impact of growth machine actors and land use policies on housing development. Local business growth actors are associated with greater use of land-use control policies, which, in turn, have positive rather than negative effects on issuance of new residential building permits. These findings suggest land -use policies are designed with leeway for growth. Supporting such policies allows growth machine actors to publicly signal support for managed growth and environmental protection, although the reality on the ground remains business as usual. In two other articles, we take stock of the large literature on “places left behind,” offering a critique of the concept itself and associated studies. We also take stock of policies used across different nations to address regional and rural uneven development. In a fifth article, we provide a critique of the literature on urban inequality which includes its neglect of looking outward toward rural places.

4. Published research showing variation (and sometimes absence) of the rural mortality when mortality data is examined at the intersection of region, race, and ethnicity (Objective 1). An example of new knowledge generated from this is that while the penalty exists across all regions for non-Hispanic White and American Indian/Alaska Native populations, the rural mortality penalty only appears to be present for Black and African American populations in the South and for Hispanic/Latino populations in the South and West. This research calls for additional work to understand the spatially patterned structural factors shaping these disparities. Published research on the relationship between county-level suicide rates and availability of social infrastructure. This research showed that counties with more availability of social infrastructure had lower suicide mortality rates. This research points to the potentially important role of social infrastructure in the U.S.

5. Project members Tim Slack and Shannon Monnat published a book (Rural and Small-Town America: Context, Composition, and Complexities) with content that addresses all three of W5001’s objectives. In the book, Slack and Monnat share lessons offered from rural society and confront common myths and misunderstandings about rural people and places. Their main premise is that rural America is not monolithic; it is diverse across multiple dimensions and is facing substantial social changes and challenges that also have important implications for urban and suburban America. Slack and Monnat share how social, economic, and demographic changes pose problems and opportunities for rural communities. Additionally, they assess changes in population size and composition, economies and livelihoods, ethnoracial diversity and inequities, population health and health disparities, and politics and policies. Through analysis of empirical evidence, demographic data, and policy debates, readers will glean insights about rural America and the United States as a whole.

6. Published research on changes to migration patterns in Rural America associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (Objective 1). Findings show for the first time that population increases in rural counties since 2020 have primarily been due to a steep decline in out-migration, suggesting that remote work may help to alleviate brain drain in rural areas.

7. Published research on the characteristics and policy choices of rural local governments relative to their urban counterparts (Objective 2), as well as the differential impact of local governments spending on racialized differences in poverty.

8. Published research on growing racial and ethnic diversity in rural counties (Objective 1). Published research on the uneven effects of Medicaid expansion on rural and urban mortality for White, Black, and Hispanic populations (Objective 3). Published research on the timing of marriage and parenthood among rural and urban adults, and how these reflect education, income, and residence over the lifecourse (Objective 2). Published research on rates of marriage, cohabitation, singlehood, and non-marital births among rural women over the past 3 decades (Objective 1).

9. Presented research to inform Cooperative Extension professionals on research concerning rural population characteristics and change, along with leaders from the Delta Regional Authority, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and numerous community-level leaders (Objective 1). Conducted research on two substantive issues related to population change and rural development - broadband access and digital skills and heirs’ property - that influence people’s economic livelihoods (Objective 2). The latter included editing a special issue of the Journal of Rural Social Sciences. Worked with Co-PIs for the second generation of the Interdisciplinary Network on Rural Population Health and Aging (Objectives 1, 2, 3). Served as liaison between the Rural Population Research Network and the Regional Rural Development Centers.

10. Published research on how community context informed variations in local perceptions of forest disturbance and land management in Colorado over time (Objective 3). Results can help local policy makers and practitioners advance toward more dynamic and effective management strategies.

11. Presented and submitted manuscripts for publication related to COVID-19 impacts on vaccine hesitancy, vaccine uptake, household economics, childcare provider stress, and family functioning (Objective 3). Results inform how to tailor messaging for future pandemics and current public health campaigns.

12. Published peer reviewed research and five policy briefs examining rural demographic change, the impact of Covid-19, and rural fertility and mortality
trends and the rural-urban continuum. Spoke to a National Science Foundation panel about rural demographic trends. Raised knowledge and awareness of rural demographic change and its implications through extensive interaction with national, regional and state media including (New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Newsweek, National Public Radio, and many local and regional media). (Objectives 1 and 3).

13. Published research on how local governments are using their ARPA funds to promote equity (Objective 2), on broadband access in rural areas (Objective 2), on aging trends (Objectives 1 and 2), on school based health centers and challenges of preemption of public health authority post COVID-19 (Objective 3), and a book on community development and schools. Spoke to community groups on aging and its implications for local community development.

14. Published research on the impact of wildfires on migration (Objective 1, Milestone 2). Published research on the timing of changes in the relationship between slavery and economic inequality and how changes differ across states (Objective 2, Milestone 2). Published research demonstrating how the relationship between vulnerability and geographic isolation varies across ecoregions (Objective 2, Milestone 2). Published research on how migration in response to extreme weather disasters generates economic losses and promotes spatial inequality (Objective 2, Milestone 2). Contributed to a consensus report on community-led relocation in response to environmental change, which raised awareness and explored options for relocating communities away from environmental hazards through processes that align with community values and priorities (Objective 3).

15. Published research on rural shrinkage and rural governance structures; and on rural legal deserts and demographic correlates (Objectives 2-3). Analyzed and presented to stakeholders impacts of population change on rural quality of life and social capital (Objective 2). Analyzed and presented to stakeholders impacts of rapid ethic diversification in meatpacking towns (Objective 2). Analyzed and presented to stakeholders impacts of COVID-19 on rural populations, especially meatpacking workers (Objective 3). Identifying and describing local strategies to reduce opioid mortality across 26 community case study communities (Objective 3). Produced extension reports on rural population and economic change for use by state policy-makers, commodity associations, and local governments (Objective 1).

16. Conducted research on rural-urban differences in and the correlates of the impact of social security income on poverty among older U.S. adults. This work will be submitted for publication as an ERS Economic Information Bulletin (Objective 2). Studied income inequality in the United States with an analysis of changes in the prevalence and effects of key socioeconomic and demographic predictors of subnational income inequality between 1980 and 2019 (Objective 1). Submitted survey research questions on participation in the informal economy that were included in the latest wave of the National Wellbeing Survey. Impacts

Impacts Related to Milestones

1. Shannon Monnat launched Wave 4 of the National Wellbeing Survey (NWS) - an annual cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized adults aged 18-64 in the United States. The NWS has been collected annually 2021-2024. Survey topics include psychosocial wellbeing, social relationships and support, participation in social activities, physical health, mental health, health behaviors, health care use, employment quality and experiences, COVID-19 experiences, socioeconomic measures, political orientation, and demographic measures. Although there are several existing national health surveys that collect data from the U.S. working-age population (e.g., Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, National Health Interview Survey, National Survey of Drug Use and Health), none include all three of the following features: (1) a comprehensive array of physical health, mental health, and psychosocial wellbeing measures; (2) a large enough sample of nonmetropolitan respondents to enable metro-nonmetro and within-nonmetro comparisons and a measure to identify a respondent’s rural-urban continuum code; (3) state and county geographic identifiers to enable linkage to contextual data. The NWS includes all three features. The rural oversample and state and county geographic identifers make the NWS especially well suited to the conducting research on W5001’s objectives. The NWS was designed to support research to assess population-level wellbeing, broadly defined (physical health, mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, social relationships, employment quality, financial wellbeing) and identify how wellbeing varies by demographic group and geography. Monnat conducted a presentation on NWS data at the 2024 annual meeting of W5001 to expose members to the data and encourage use. The 2021 and 2022 NWS data are currently available for access to the wider research community through ICPSR (2024 Milestone 1).

2. Paige Kelly, Kristina Brant, Danielle Rhubart, John J. Green, Katherine Curtis, Sreedhar Upendram, and Jason DeKolf and the broader W5001 membership conducted a series of four virtual listening sessions with 80+ Cooperative Extension practitioners and other rural stakeholders to future directions for rural demographic research. This has resulted in a public report that will be distributed to national extension networks that call for research that speaks to the current challenges and opportunities facing rural communities across the U.S. (2024 Milestone 1).

3. The Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), directed by John J. Green, partnered with the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (NCRCRD) and the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NRCRD) to collect round 2 of the STAT survey, a household-level web-based survey on topics crucial for household and community development and wellbeing. Round 1 was conducted by the NCRCRD in 2022, covering the north central states. The Centers collaborated for the 2024 data collection, which will cover three of the four USDA-defined regions. With support from USDA NIFA, this effort will provide data for researchers to explore population characteristics and wellbeing for households across rural-urban spaces and will help to inform Extension efforts (2024 Milestone 1).

4. Katherine Curtis, Richelle Winkler, Kenneth Johnson and collaborators released revised age-, sex-, ethnorace-specific net migration estimates for all US counties (USDA ERS, NICHD). In a second effort, Curtis and collaborators are working in the FSRDC to generate age-, sex-, ethnorace-, nativity-specific migration flow estimates for all US counties (NSF). In a third effort, Curtis and collaborators are generating trade flow estimates for intermediary commodities for all US counties (USDA NIFA) (2024 Milestone 1).

5. David Peters initiated the 4th wave of the Iowa Small Towns Project, which is a large-scale survey of 33,000 residents living in 128 small towns in Iowa. The questionnaire has been designed to track questions from prior waves in 1994, 2004, and 2014; has been reviewed by an advisory panel, and has been translated into 5 different languages by community ethnic organizations. Awaiting deployment of questionnaires based on marketing efforts and feedback from ethnic partners (2024 Milestone 1).

6. Jessica Schad - Compiled a dataset on Utahns’ Views on Environmental Issues (the Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP) and sought additional funding to continue the survey in 2024 (Milestone 1). Analyzed how natural resource-related economic shifts were associated with wellbeing in different types of rural Utah and Washington communities (Milestone 2). Presented research and resources for addressing mental health issues to Carbon County residents and leaders; presented results from UPEP to event for Utah
Governor and State Legislature (Milestone 3).

7. Richelle Winkler- Analyzed differences in migration patterns across different kinds of rural counties and by different age groups, and investigated how rural migration patterns have changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (Milestone 2). Met with stakeholders from federal, state, and local agencies and organizations to understand population-related challenges and opportunities facing rural communities (Milestone 3).

8. Hua Qin and colleagues compiled a two-phase survey dataset on community perceptions and actions in response to the mountain pine beetle outbreak in north-central Colorado (Milestone 1), and used the longitudinal data to explore how community context informed variations in local perceptions of forest disturbance and land management over time (Milestone 2). Funding for Phase I of this research was provided by the Pacific Northwest Research Station and Region 2, U.S. Forest Service. Phase II was supported by the Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Program of the National Science Foundation (Award #1733990).

9. Kenenth M.Johnson presented research on rural demographic trends to a National Science Foundation panel examing rural K-12 Education and Workforce Development. (Milestone 3)

10. Katherine Curtis shared net migration estimates and trade flow estimates with the Community Development Institute of Wisconsin Extension (Milestone 3).

11. Katherine Curtis shared findings on agricultural land values informed by multiple stakeholder groups and preliminary results from oral histories re changing agricultural lands and communities with local residents, organizations, and leaders in Montana (Milestone 3).