Skip to content
Honors

Home Praxis Lab Worlds Apart: Utah’s Urban Rural Divide
Energy & Environment, Policy & Social Justice 2017-2018

Worlds Apart: Utah’s Urban Rural Divide

This Praxis Lab examined the growing social, political, and economic divide between urban and rural communities, both nationally and within Utah. Students explored the unique challenges facing rural areas—such as job loss and population decline—while also considering the policy and cultural differences shaping urban centers like Salt Lake City.

Through research, discussions, and engagement with community leaders, students gained a deeper understanding of the factors driving the urban-rural divide. In the second semester, they developed policy proposals and initiatives aimed at fostering collaboration between urban and rural communities, offering innovative solutions to bridge this gap.

Instructors:

Matthew Burbank

Katherine Fife

More Praxis Labs

Overworked, Underpaid, and Burned Out: How Work Sustains Health Inequities
Health & Society, Policy & Social Justice

Overworked, Underpaid, and Burned Out: How Work Sustains Health Inequities

Emily Ahonen
Camie Schafer

Reimagine the role of work in shaping health, equity, and justice—while exploring how we might build a better future.

More Info2025-2026
Psychedelics & Mental Health
Health & Society, Policy & Social Justice

Psychedelics & Mental Health

Tomas Melicher
Amanda Stoeckel

Examine the science, ethics, and applications of psychedelics in mental health—culminating in student-led, community-focused projects.

More Info2025-2026
Environmental Exposure & Health: Analyzing Estimates through Artificial Intelligence
Energy & Environment, Health & Society, Policy & Social Justice

Environmental Exposure & Health: Analyzing Estimates through Artificial Intelligence

Daniel Mendoza
Simon Brewer

Use Salt Lake City as your lab to explore how AI and environmental data can uncover the hidden health effects of air quality and climate.

More Info2025-2026