Tristin Smith

Tristin Smith is a research assistant at the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), where she works on the Center’s “Close Up on the UP” project. She is a third-year in the School of Information majoring in Information Analysis and minoring in Digital Studies and is part of the U.P. Scholars Program. Tristin is interested in researching the intersection between technology and education.

Charging Into the Future: Can EVs Thrive in the UP?

Electric vehicles remain a rare sight in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula due to limited charging infrastructure, cold climate challenges, high vehicle costs, and slow-moving local policy. But with the right investments and political will, EV adoption in the UP could unlock new economic and environmental opportunities for the region.

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Beyond the Bubble: Perceptions of Drug Crime in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Tristin Smith, research assistant at the University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP), explores the prevalence of drug crime in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, highlighting how isolation contributes to the issue and calling for greater awareness, local action, and support for at-risk communities.

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