ORONO — The Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine will host a talk on how experts can effectively share their knowledge with rural communities, Monday, Sept. 29, at 3 p.m.

In “Whose Knowledge Counts? Trust, Expertise, and the Politics of Sustainability in Rural America,” Nicholas F. Jacobs will explore the apprehension certain communities have toward technical expertise, the obstacles they face and how experts can better connect their knowledge with people’s lived experience. 

Jacobs is the Goldfarb Family Distinguished Chair in American Government at Colby College and the founding director of the Colby Public Policy Lab. His research focuses on rural politics, federalism, and public trust in government, with a particular interest in how people interpret policy through place-based narratives and lived experience. He is co-author of The Rural Voter and has advised policymakers at the local and national level.

All talks in the Mitchell Center’s Sustainability Talk series are free and are offered both remotely via Zoom, and in person at 107 Norman Smith Hall on the UMaine campus in Orono.  

Registration is required for virtual attendance; to register and receive connection information, see the event webpage.

To request accommodation, contact: Ruth Hallsworth, 207.581.3196 or hallsworth@maine.edu.

The Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of Maine aspires to be a leader and valued partner in understanding and solving problems related to the growing challenge of improving human well-being while protecting the environment. They collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and bring together faculty and students from many different fields. By connecting knowledge with action, the Mitchell Center seeks to create a brighter environmental, social and economic future in and beyond Maine. 

As Maine’s only public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, the University of Maine advances learning and discovery through excellence and innovation. Founded in 1865 in Orono, UMaine is the state’s land, sea and space grant university with a regional campus at the University of Maine at Machias. Our students come from all over the world and work with faculty conducting fieldwork around the globe — from the North Atlantic to the Antarctic. Located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation with UMaine Machias located in the homeland of the Passamaquoddy Nation, UMaine’s statewide mission is to foster an environment that creates tomorrow’s leaders. As the state’s flagship institution, UMaine offers nearly 200 degree programs through which students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, professional master’s and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates. For more information about UMaine and UMaine Machias, visit umaine.edu/about/quick-facts/ and machias.edu/about-umm/umm-facts/.