February 18, 2019
Online Journal of Rural Research and Policy announces Thomas P. Gould Prize winner
The Online Journal of Rural Research and Policy, edited by Professor Bonnie Lynn-Sherow and Bradley M. Galka of the Chapman Center for Rural Studies, has announced the winner of the second Thomas P. Gould Prize for the best article published in the journal. The winner of the 2018 prize is H. Martin Koch.
Koch received his master's degree from the University of Kansas in 2017 and is currently employed as an environmental compliance and regulatory specialist for the state of Kansas.
Koch's article, "Digital Utilities: The Factors Impacting Municipal Broadband Decisions Among Local Leaders," examines the challenges to providing rural communities with adequate internet access and proposes strategies for community action to overcome these hurdles.
"My article is intended for anyone who is interested in helping their community prosper through access to more economical, equitable and effective information systems," Koch said. "It illustrates challenges and solutions to municipal broadband implementation by leveraging statistical analysis with the practical expertise of Kansas community managers."
Winners of the annual Gould Prize will receive $500 and recognition for their work in the journal and the media. The selection panel, consisting of editorial board members and last year's prizewinner, Joyce Weil, were unanimous in selecting Koch's article.
Founding editor Thomas Gould, a K-State journalism professor, died on Feb. 14, 2016. His wife, Carol Gould, donated half the prize money in his honor.