Areas of Impact
LSU's Social Research & Evaluation Center works across disciplines and sectors to address complex challenges affecting individuals, families, organizations, and communities. Through research, evaluation, data, training, and partnerships, SREC helps organizations better understand needs, strengthen programs, and improve outcomes.
Our work spans four interconnected areas of impact: strengthening communities, education, health & well-being, and agriculture, coast & energy.
Strengthening Communities
Strong and safe communities create opportunities for individuals and families to thrive. SREC partners with organizations and communities to identify needs, understand local conditions, build on existing strengths, and develop strategies that support long-term community well-being.
Our work includes community-based research, needs assessments, program evaluation, data analysis, capacity building, and initiatives focused on community and economic resilience.
Education
SREC works with education partners to strengthen programs, improve student outcomes, and support evidence-informed decision-making across the educational continuum.
Our expertise includes program design and evaluation, chronic absenteeism, academic and behavioral supports, workforce development, professional learning, and training. We work with schools, education agencies, community partners, and other organizations serving learners from early childhood through postsecondary education.
Health & Well-Being
SREC collaborates with partners to improve physical, behavioral, and community health across the lifespan.
Our work includes behavioral health, substance use prevention and treatment, healthy aging, healthcare workforce development, and other initiatives designed to improve health outcomes. Through research, evaluation, data reporting and analysis, and community engagement, we help partners understand needs, measure impact, and strengthen programs that support healthier individuals, families, and communities.
Agriculture, Coast & Energy
SREC advances research and evaluation that helps communities, organizations, and decision-makers respond to Louisiana's challenges across agriculture, coastal, and energy domains.
Our work examines food access and healthy food systems, pursues solutions to the impact of environmental change on community well-being and resilience, and explores how policy, infrastructure, and economic transitions affect people and places. Across these areas, SREC contributes social research and evaluation expertise to help partners understand complex challenges and develop evidence-informed, sustainable solutions.