Social Sciences

Team Lead: Jenn Thompson, University of Georgia

Our Social Science team seeks to understand how information flows throughout our research network and to measure change over time as a means to understand the effectiveness of our communication and outreach. We are using a dynamic, mixed-methods approach to data collection that includes surveys, card sorts, interviews, and network analysis.

The Grower Think-Tank sessions seek to understand how our science is relevant to what growers are seeing in their operations. Information gathered in these sessions will also provide feedback, which can help to inform future cover crop research projects. Additionally, surveys of growers who have participated in our on-farm project, as well as random non-participant farmers in PSA states, to understand what trusted sources growers rely on to get information to improve their operations. Determining where growers are getting their information from will help the entire PSA team develop effective communication strategies to make sure growers are getting the most up-to-date and relevant information of interest.