With classes starting in about a week (what?!?), we here at the BBER are reflecting on a very eventful summer! One major change is that our team looks very different now than it did just a few months ago. We welcomed two new undergraduate research assistants (UGRAs) back in May, and in July, former UGRA Ava Klennert stepped into a brand-new role with our department. When we weren't busy in the office, we were out on the road attending regional events and field trips. Here is a quick recap of our summer, our travels, and our new team.

Morgan Erickson and Michael Vasichek: Three Months as Undergraduate Research Assistants

Morgan grew up in Esko, Minnesota, and is an Economics major at UMD. He loves to hunt, fish, and anything else that gets him outside. Coming from a background in construction, he saw the UGRA position as a new and exciting opportunity to work hands-on with the Bureau's research projects. Over the past three months, he’s been putting his new skills to work on a variety of major initiatives—analyzing the economic impacts of the UMD May 2026 commencement event, examining the potential impacts of the proposed Hermantown data center, and contributing to a business retention and expansion study for Pipestone, MN.

Michael is an Economics and Political Science major originally from Fargo, North Dakota. In his free time, he enjoys riding his bike around Duluth and hiking through the local parks. Drawn to the Bureau because of its impact on local economic interests, Michael spent his summer digging into critical community issues. Over the past few months, he gained valuable hands-on experience in applied research by analyzing the economic impacts of The St. Louis County Depot, examining the effects of benefits eligibility on local households, and looking at how recent wildfires in the BWCA have impacted northern communities.

Out and About: Our Summer Field Trips and Events

This summer gave us plenty of opportunities to get off-site, meet community partners, and kick off new projects in person:

• United Way Conference: Back in May, we traveled to Biwabik, where BBER Director Monica Haynes presented on the "benefits cliff" and its impact on local working families.
• Freeway Corridor Event: In July, the team headed down to the Bell Museum in St. Paul to participate in a transportation planning event, exploring how infrastructure changes shape community placemaking and local economies

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  Glensheen Mansion Tour: In August, we got a behind-the-scenes tour of Duluth’s historic Glensheen facility to officially launch our upcoming economic impact analysis for the site.

• APEX Intern Mixer: Also in August, our team attended the APEX intern mixer on the rooftop of the Essentia hospital campus, enjoying gorgeous views of the waterfront while connecting with regional employers and fellow interns.
• Fond du Lac Tour: To close out the season, we're visiting the Fond du Lac Tribal Center and Farm to prepare for an economic impact study we’re conducting with the Tribe this fall.

Ava Klennert takes on a new role

Rounding out our team updates is Ava Klennert, who moved into the role of Research Analyst in July. Ava holds a degree in Economics from UMD and spent the past year with the Bureau as a UGRA, where she worked on projects including our Institute on the Environment (IonE) commercial solar energy study and an economic impact analysis for a major infrastructure project. In her new role, she’ll be supporting our ongoing research, mentoring Morgan and Michael, and acting as a go-to resource across LSBE for putting AI tools to practical use in day-to-day work. Outside the office, she enjoys hiking around Duluth, drawing, reading, and spending quality time with loved ones.

We're so glad to have had Morgan, Michael, and Ava guiding our work this summer, and we're looking forward to carrying this great momentum into the school year ahead!