<p>As a sociologist, Regina Baker studies inequality, social stratification and families, particularly in the South. Although poverty and uneven development exist everywhere, this part of the country has seen a disproportionate share of the nation’s socioeconomic problems. For decades, poverty there has been the highest and most persistent, and the Great Recession only made things worse. In this talk, Dr. Baker will discuss the latest findings from her research, which looks at the role of demographic, economic and racial factors that influence poverty, as well as the uncertainty of future safety nets for America's most vulnerable populations.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Expert faculty from the University of Pennsylvania shed light on their research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences at the Penn Science Café. It's an evening of engaging, stimulating conversation, with a Q&amp;A session following each talk.<br /><br />Presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sas.upenn.edu/?&quot; target="_blank">Penn Arts and Sciences</a>&nbsp;in partnership with the Office of University Communications, Penn Café events are free and open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged. For more information or directions, contact Gina Bryan at 215-898-8721 or email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bryangm@upenn.edu&quot; target="_blank">bryangm@upenn.edu</a>.<br /><br />Menu items are available for purchase. Happy Hour pricing from 4–6 p.m.<br /><br />Click&nbsp;<a href="https://penntoday.upenn.edu/sciencecafe&quot; target="_blank">HERE&nbsp;</a>to see a complete listing of all of the Spring 2018 Penn Science and Lightbulb Cafes</p>