NORC at the University of Chicago

10/07/2026

Economic indicators like the unemployment rate or GDP can describe the broader economy, but they can’t say whether a Chicago family is able to pay its bills at the end of the month.

In his latest Expert View, Vince Welch, associate director at The Bridge at NORC, explains how ChicagoSpeaks®, NORC’s representative panel of Chicago residents, helps to fill that gap by asking people directly about their perceptions and experiences, allowing researchers, community organizations, journalists, and decision-makers to understand how broader conditions impact people’s lives.

Recent findings from June 2026 reveal just 6% of Chicagoans say they are thriving financially and 31% say they cannot pay every bill in full in a typical month. The strain lands unevenly, with 77% of Black adults and 70% of Hispanic adults reporting that they are just getting by or struggling, compared with 41% of White adults.

Find out more in the full Expert View: https://go.norc.org/4yrCdfP

10/06/2026

At this year’s AWS Imagine, NORC’s Amelia Burke-Garcia and Mehmet Celepkolu presented “Designing for Trust: A Controlled AI Platform for Health Communication,” bringing THIA, the Trusted Health Information Assistant, into the conversation about responsible AI usage in government and public institutions.

THIA is more than just an AI chatbot. It’s a research-backed platform that gives organizations a way to deliver trusted health information and researchers a way to study how people interact with, and trust AI-generated content. THIA combines NORC’s research expertise, health communication science, and responsible AI safeguards to address real public health challenges.

Find out more about THIA: https://go.norc.org/4utZ1e4

10/06/2026

As AI takes a bigger role in shaping policy, how do we ensure community voices remain central to the conversation?

Ashani Johnson-Turbes, vice president of The Bridge at NORC, explored that question at the HEIA Summit on ‘Collective Power for Community Health’ in Washington, D.C. She joined Munira Bangee of the National Minority Quality Forum, U.S. Representative Herb Conaway Jr. of New Jersey, and moderator Shonta Chambers of the Patient Advocate Foundation for a panel on using community-informed data to advance policy in the age of AI. Their conversation covered:

- Data democratization in an era of evolving AI tools
- The value of sharing data and evidence with the communities they come from
- Safeguards to keep community voices from being overshadowed by AI-generated data
- The transparency researchers and policymakers owe communities affected by policy decisions

Find out how NORC helps community-based organizations put data into practice: https://go.norc.org/4rL8vjW

10/05/2026

Why do official economic indicators say the economy is strong while so many people say they're struggling to keep up?

NORC and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago brought together economists, business leaders, and community members to explore that disconnect. The event featured presentations and panels from Dan Gaylin, NORC’s president and CEO; Ashani Johnson-Turbes, vice president of The Bridge at NORC; and Brian Fabes, NORC senior fellow, alongside experts and leaders from the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Meijer, and Metropolitan Family Services.

Economic commentator and author Kyla Scanlon also moderated a discussion that went beyond the headlines. Panelists examined what consumer sentiment reveals about how people experience economic indicators day to day, how and why consumer perspectives have changed over time, and what additional measures can deepen understanding of lived economic conditions.

View photos from the event below.

10/01/2026

How can we design more effective anti-trafficking programs?

At the TIP Global Practice Summit 2026, NORC led a plenary discussion on Using Intervention Development Research (IDR) to Improve Trafficking Programming to answer this question, exploring how organizations can move beyond identifying needs to building and refining interventions grounded in evidence, theory, and local context.

Moderated by NORC researchers Cathy Zimmerman and Rachael Jackson, the panel brought together experts from the Urban Institute, Population Council, and La Isla Network.

They discussed innovative and adaptive intervention approaches and IDR's critical role in developing initiatives to prevent labor trafficking and supporting vulnerable populations across Mexico, Ethiopia, and Nepal.

By investing in intervention development research, organizations can better understand who programs should target, and how interventions can be designed and implemented for greater impact. This research contributes to a growing global evidence base that helps improve anti-trafficking practice and outcomes worldwide.

09/28/2026

Long-running surveys face increasing demand to provide estimates for small geographic areas, answer emerging policy questions, and adapt to changing response patterns.

NORC developed three distinct sample design solutions to help long-running flagship surveys adapt to meet these demands while balancing cost, precision, geographic detail, and operational feasibility.

For each survey, we addressed a distinct challenge:
- Redesigned the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey to support state and national estimates and analysis.
- Identified strategies for cost-efficient and precise sampling for in-person nonresponse follow-ups for the General Social Survey.
- Coordinated sample design for the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE) to produce representative national and local data on child care across households, home- and center-based providers, and the early care and education workforce.

Explore the full brief: https://go.norc.org/3TaAAEJ

09/25/2026

New NORC research finds Latino arts organizations anchor cultural life in neighborhoods across the country and connect communities to youth development, health, and immigration services.

Our survey of 493 Latino arts and culture organizations across the United States, including Puerto Rico, conducted with National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC), also points to the resource constraints holding the sector back:
- 74% percent saw increased demand for programming and services since 2020
- 48% say limited resources and other challenges keep them from fully meeting that demand
- 78% percent cited funding or cash flow as their leading operational challenge

“Latino arts and culture organizations are clearly positioned to do more, even well outside of their original scope,” says Gwendolyn Rugg, senior research scientist at The Bridge at NORC. “Our data show real demand and real capacity. What’s needed is sustained, flexible investment.”

Find out more: https://go.norc.org/4yO2rto

09/24/2026

When research is shaped in partnership with neighborhood residents, it benefits from the expertise, wisdom, and lived experience already present within the community. On Home Court, NORC worked alongside the Obama Foundation and local residents throughout the process, treating them as equal partners and giving them a real say in what would make the space feel like home.

Home Court is a community athletic and events space designed to foster mentorship and connection, especially within the neighborhoods surrounding Hyde Park.

Ahead of the Obama Center’s opening, NORC Arts & Culture research scientist Barbara-Shae Jackson and her team conducted a series of focus groups, first setting up a community advisory board with local leaders who helped co-design the questions asked. These focus groups yielded actionable recommendations aligned with what nearby residents, especially young people and their families, were looking for.

NORC’s work treats community members as co-creators and partners in research, and as experts in their own experience, heritage, and needs. When research involves the community from the beginning, the findings are more likely to reach and benefit the people they are meant to serve.

Watch the story behind our work on Home Court and explore the project: https://go.norc.org/4ydrMgr

09/23/2026

This week, NORC researchers join education scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from across the country at the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE) 2026 conference, themed ‘Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape.’ SREE is one of the field’s most closely watched annual gatherings for education research.

Our presentations include:
• Robert Meyer on assessment, accountability, and methods innovations using multi-year summative and within-year assessments

• Joy Zacharia and Claudia Gentile on evaluating an innovative writing program in ‘From Rigor to Relevance’

• Jennifer Hamilton and Jenny Seelig on the rural community and school conditions that help science and math teachers stay, part of the panel ‘Why Teachers Stay’

• Brooke Rumper and Roseline Telfort on a randomized controlled trial of the Youth Stand Up civic education curriculum

• Jaunelle Pratt-Williams on how well recent economic evaluations of education programs meet established standards

• Quentin Brummet and Vi-Nhuan Le share research on student disability identification by family income and teacher-student race matching in kindergarten special education referral and placement.

Connect with us at SREE and explore the full program: https://www.norc.org/events/sree-2026.html

09/21/2026

Do you have a passion for leadership? We’re looking for Part-Time Supervisors to guide daily operations and empower our team. Learn more and apply now at careers.norc.org today! Direct link: http://careers.norc.org/cw/en-us/job/503981?lApplicationSubSourceID=11225

09/17/2026

New from NORC’s Center for Public Safety & Justice (CPSJ): our September newsletter is out now and dives into what it takes to make public safety systems work better in real time.

In this issue:
- Why Programs Need Continuous Learning, Not Just Evaluation by Matthew Stagner
- Using DNA to Improve Public Safety Through Better Investigations by John Roman
- Meet the Expert: Elizabeth Mumford

Find out more in the full newsletter: https://go.norc.org/3UNdJzt

New perspectives on prevention, historic crime declines, and why real time public safety data matter for sustaining progress.

09/13/2026

*Day Shift Opportunity*
NORC is now hiring for immediate part time DAY SHIFT openings. Work shouldn't get in the way of your life. Whether you're balancing classes, family, or another job, our part-time day-shift roles are designed to fit your schedule! Apply today to join our team: https://NORCJobs.org

09/11/2026

We’re expanding our Supervisory team! NORC is now seeking experienced and driven Part-time Supervisors to lead daily operations and support our growing team. To learn more and to apply, visit careers.norc.org today!

Direct link: https://careers.norc.org/en-us/job/503970/supervisor-telephone-survey-and-support-operations-tsso

09/03/2026

NORC is looking for a few more part time Customer Service Representatives 🎉 Join our team, apply online today: https://norcjobs.org

08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day! 🐶❤️ Life is so much brighter (and a lot hairier) with a dog. We want to see your furry family members! Drop a picture of your dog in the comments below 👇🐾

08/20/2026

Come for the job, stay for the team. We’re growing our customer support squad and we want YOU! Flexible part time hours, competitive pay, time off, and more! Apply online today: https://NORCJobs.org