Luke Cain's primary interests are in bureaucratic governance, discretion, and delegation, especially in the United States. His approach is generally empirical and quantitative, but he is proud to draw from multiple strains of social science in his work. He also works as a departmental steward, ensuring his peers find success in their academic roles.

Luke has a special interest in the US Federal Reserve, having worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for two years before beginning his Ph.D. There, his role was primarily in monetary policy communication and coauthored work on economic forecasting, immigration, and racial disparity. Before that, he completed his undergraduate education at the University of North Carolina, where he received a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. Economics.