Cornell social scientists were part of a team that won the National Excellence in Multistate Research Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The award was presented in a virtual event Oct. 28.

The highly competitive research award recognizes exemplary research and outreach efforts across multiple states. This is the first time this award has been presented to social scientists.

Their project, known as “W4001: Social, Economic and Environmental Causes and Consequences of Demographic Change in Rural America,” conducts research on the most pressing demographic, economic, social and environmental challenges faced by rural communities in the U.S.

Rural areas make up 72% of the nation’s land area, are home to 46 million people, and are essential to agriculture, natural resources, recreation and environmental sustainability.

Cornell team members include David Brown, Joe Francis and Nina Glasgow from the Department of Global Development, and Daniel Lichter, the Ferris Family Professor of Life Course Studies in Policy Analysis and Management and Sociology in the College of Human Ecology. Earlier this year, the team earned the Western Region Excellence in Research Award.

Read the full version of this article on the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ website.

Matt Hayes is associate director for communications for Global Development in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.