Luke Shaefer's research focuses on the effectiveness of the United States’ social safety net in serving low-wage workers and economically disadvantaged families. His recent work explores rising levels of extreme poverty in the United States, the impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on material hardships, barriers to unemployment insurance faced by vulnerable workers, and strategies for increasing access to oral health care in the United States. Shaefer is further interested in non-profit management, particularly the economics of social service administration. He has significant non-profit program management experience and has served as board president for a public foundation and an education nonprofit.