His research interests are in the area of social capital and civic engagement. In 2010 Dr. Stout and two other MSU sociologists collaborated with the National Conference on Citizenship to produce the "Missouri Civic Health Index," a report summarizing the empirical indicators of civic health for the state of Missouri. Dr. Stout is also the coordinator of the Ozarks Regional Social Capital Study (ORSCS), an ongoing project that tracks levels of social capital and civic engagement in Southwest Missouri. Funded by a local coalition of private, philanthropic, and public contributions the ORSCS is a valuable source of information for community and civic leaders in the Ozarks.