Lauri Andress

I have dedicated my career as an instructor, social sciences researcher, and policy analyst to public service where my expertise lies in linking scholarly work with social issues, the public policy process, and community organizing.  I am interested in gaps between groups based on socio economic status and the different ways to portray and measure the effects of power on marginalized communities. I utilize qualitative research skills that integrate ethnographic techniques with content analysis of documents, and data collected from interviews, focus groups, print media and videos.  I am currently using a constructivist approach to consider the ways that the ideas of individuals and communities shape behaviors and therefore material realities. I see these ideas themselves as socially produced, often products of the media, urban boosters, political framings, etc., that resonate (or not) with communities’ (a groups’) lived experiences. In West Virginia I have utilized ethnographic techniques, focus groups, and interviews to explore the food access issues of low income women and the elderly.  Further my West Virginia research has focused on the 1) built environment and infrastructure issues in rural communities, and 2) the policy process for built environment initiatives at the local level.