Newsletter

Adventures in Research: Issue 9

It’s been 10 years since I completed my postdoctoral work and started this business.

When I first started out, people thought I was crazy. I was “supposed to” go into academia or join a large research firm.

There wasn’t a model for a PhD who wanted to start her own research agency. There was also that little bump (literally) growing in my belly (my third child), which really brought out the doubters.

I went ahead with my plan anyway, and for the past 10 years, I can honestly say I’ve been doing work that I not only love, but also find meaningful, fulfilling, and challenging.

And over the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with an incredible team that is as dedicated as I am to this work.

I couldn’t have done any of this without the family, friends, colleagues, and thought partners who have supported me on this journey.

So, I’m raising a glass to 10 more years of joy, challenge, growth, and impact.

Thank you for your continued support. I’m so grateful our paths crossed along the way.

—Alicia

10 yr anniversary

When Research Results Surprise Us, What Comes Next?

You may have heard of the Baby’s First Years study, a rigorous, $22 million study in which 1,000 families living below the poverty line were assigned to receive $333/month for the first six years of their child’s life (treatment) or receive a nominal $20/month stipend for participation (control).

The authors examined how this cash assistance impacted seven key indicators of maternal and child health and well-being. After four years, there were no differences between the treatment and control groups on the seven indicators (see the published article here).

The authors shared these findings at professional conferences. However, they didn’t give the findings the same amount of mainstream spotlight as an earlier study that suggested more positive findings, which prompted The New York Times to criticize the authors for “quietly” publishing the results.

I get why the authors were cautious. In a highly polarized environment, findings like these—out of context—can become a quick headline for anyone looking to argue that cash benefits don’t matter. As scientists, we know that this is just one piece of a complex puzzle about timing, amounts, context, and what outcomes we measure (and when).

So, do these results prove that cash assistance “doesn’t work”? Absolutely not.

Do they offer valuable clues about how much may be needed, when it is needed, and which outcomes we should be tracking? Absolutely yes.

Science rarely hands us simple answers, especially when questions touch politics, poverty, and children’s development. That raises a bigger challenge: How do we share complex findings in a world overflowing with information and driven by soundbites? What are our obligations as researchers and as a community?

For me, the guiding word is curiosity. Let’s model curiosity over snap judgments and trust that the public can do the same. That means asking open questions, making space for dialogue, and sharing results with humility about what we know and what we don’t know (yet). When we invite reflection instead of reaction, we help people engage with evidence in ways that deepen understanding rather than harden divides.

I’m still thinking this through, and I’d love your thoughts. Email me: alicia@lynchresearchassociates.com.

Research hack alert

In the evaluation world, we’re often asking the question, “For whom, under what conditions does this program work?”

Statistically, this typically translates to testing whether one aspect of programming moderates another aspect of programming by adding an interaction term to a regression equation.

Graphing those interactions used to be a bit of a hassle until our brilliant Senior Research Director, Amanda Richer, created templates that make the process a TOTAL BREEZE.

I was recently using our template for graphing an interaction between two dichotomous variables within a logistic regression model, and I thought, “I bet there are a bunch of people who would benefit from using this template too.”

So here’s that template, which you are free to use. The link opens Google Docs, where it will prompt you to copy the template.

Podcast recommendation

I’m a huge fan of The Annie E. Casey Foundation. I’ve long admired their leadership and field-building work in juvenile justice reform, and now they’ve released a series of accessible and engaging podcasts that highlight the link between safe communities and positive youth development.

Here’s a link to all of their podcast episodes.

If you don’t know where to begin, this is a good one to dive into.

It’s never too early to think about next year—at least when it comes to research and evaluation.

If you’re currently sipping a pumpkin spice latte or trying to intercept the overpriced “Chasing Fireflies” Halloween catalogue before your kids get it, that’s your sign that it’s time to start planning your 2026 research and evaluation projects.

Get a jump start and book a call with us now. No matter where you are in your project (even if it’s just an idea about an idea!), my team and I are always happy to talk.

Have a great fall!

Best,
The Team at Lynch Research Associates

Here’s how to get in touch with us:

Alicia
- alicia@lynchresearchassociates.com
- Book time with Alicia
Kristina
- kristina@lynchresearchassociates.com
- Book time with Kristina