{"id":3923,"date":"2024-02-14T16:44:48","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T16:44:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/?page_id=3923"},"modified":"2026-03-05T20:23:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T20:23:39","slug":"the-connecticut-futures-lab","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/the-connecticut-futures-lab\/","title":{"rendered":"The Connecticut Futures Lab"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"3923\" class=\"elementor elementor-3923\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fcdbbc1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"fcdbbc1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5fc8f5e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"5fc8f5e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9124292 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9124292\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/108\/2025\/03\/social-science-3-1024x392.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5357\" alt=\"Connecticut Futures Lab\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/108\/2025\/03\/social-science-3-1024x392.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/108\/2025\/03\/social-science-3-300x115.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/108\/2025\/03\/social-science-3-768x294.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/108\/2025\/03\/social-science-3-1536x588.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/108\/2025\/03\/social-science-3.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ad549b7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ad549b7\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f725d9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f725d9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #ff6600\">The Connecticut Futures Lab<\/span><\/strong> is an experiential learning and applied research lab that prepares and empowers WCSU students to build a more sustainable, equitable future for all in communities close to home and far away. Housed in the Department of Social Sciences, the CFL facilitates opportunities for our students to advance their skills and knowledge while strengthening the capacity of local organizations to undertake vital research.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a6daf6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5a6daf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Serving community organizations:<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6011897 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6011897\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Organizations, particularly non-pro\ufb01ts, are often under-resourced and unable to take on projects to assess needs, impacts, and potential areas for expansion for the work they do. Under the supervision of faculty, advanced student researchers will collaborate with partner organizations to design studies, collect data, and produce actionable analyses, policy briefs, and reports.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fc0be8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4fc0be8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Serving WCSU students<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be789c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"be789c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Through applied research collaborations, students will take their qualitative and quantitative research skills to the next level.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Students will play a role in building civil society in their state, empowering them to be change-makers and innovators.<\/li>\n<li>Internships, trainings, conferences, speaker series\u2019, and \ufb01eld trips will enrich students\u2019 experience at WCSU and provide networking and community-building opportunities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-da96e20 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"da96e20\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8bd264e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8bd264e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wolvesgivingday.wcsu.edu\/campaigns\/social-sciences-2107\">Support the Lab<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9792cac e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9792cac\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-715a9d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"715a9d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Applied Research Collaborations<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d7094e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1d7094e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e46e4e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6e46e4e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Sustainable CT Danbury Team<\/strong>: In the Spring of 2025, 25 of our students worked with the Sustainable CT Danbury Team to plan and implement <strong>Walk With Danbury<\/strong>, a community engaged research event, held on Earth Day. Over 25 local residents participated, including Mayor Roberto Alves and Representative Farley Santos of the CT General Assembly. The students collected robust qualitative data from participants, as well as survey and PhotoVoice data, which the Danbury Team will use to guide sustainable planning and apply for <a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablect.org\/about\/our-story\">Sustainable CT<\/a> certification.\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Desegregate CT:<\/strong> In the Spring of 2023, 25 students collaborated with this <a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablect.org\/about\/our-story\">organization<\/a> to plan and implement a Walk Audit in downtown Danbury. Over 40 people participated in the walk audit, including Mayor-elect Roberto Alves and Representative Farley Santos of the CT General Assembly. Students facilitated the collection of observational data on the walkability and safety of the area, and then created a website with an interactive map to share the data and a summary report. In Fall 2023, the students extended this project by recruiting respondents for a survey created by the Danbury Department of Planning and Zoning on development in the downtown area and attending a participatory planning workshop at City Hall. The students created an interactive <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wcsu.edu\/walk-audit\/\">website<\/a> to share the learnings from this community research event.\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Northwest Connecticut Arts Council: <\/strong>In the Spring of 2024, advanced students initiated a collaboration with NCAC to learn about the activities of the first cohort of the Empower Grant Initiative (EGI). Administered by the Connecticut Office of the Arts, the EGI aims to improve outcomes for small arts organizations through capacity building workshops and by building an inter-organizational network for accountability and mutual learning among grantees. Our expectation was that better data on the EGI program would contribute to improving equity in arts funding across the state.<\/p><p><strong>If your organization has a research project in mind and would like to collaborate with the Connecticut Futures Lab<\/strong>, please contact Christine Hegel-Cantarella at hegelcantarellac@wcsu.edu<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Connecticut Futures Lab is an experiential learning and applied research lab that prepares and empowers WCSU students to build a more sustainable, equitable future for all in communities close to home and far away. Housed in the Department of &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3923","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3923\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/socialsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}