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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Center for Business and Public Policy
http://www.cbpp.illinois.edu/
How society chooses to address today’s major public policy challenges will fundamentally shape the
future of the U.S. economy. The mission of the Center for Business and Public Policy at the University of
Illinois is to promote rigorous research about how market forces and public policy shape one another,
and to communicate these findings through innovative teaching and public engagement activities.
National Center for Professional and Business Ethics
http://www.csl.uiuc.edu/ethics-center
The National Center for Professional & Research Ethics brings together information on best practices in
research, academia and business in an online portal and center. The project, funded through a five-year,
$5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, is an initiative of the University of Illinois
Coordinated Science Laboratory and Howard University, with support from other partners.
Center for Education in Small Urban Communities
http://ed.uiuc.edu/smallurban/
Established in the spring of 2007, the Center for Education in Small Urban Communities (CESUC) is a
research, service, and outreach unit within the College of Education. It focuses on enhancing teaching
and learning, houses a number of professional development and outreach activities, and serves as the
liaison for school-university partnerships. The Center’s entire staff work daily to play an active role in
fulfilling the University of Illinois’ strategic service directions and to guide the establishment of an
ongoing, research-based professional development partnership with area schools.
Center on Health, Aging and Disability
http://www.chad.uiuc.edu/
The Center on Health, Aging, and Disability is an interdisciplinary research center that supports research,
education, and outreach addressing the many facets of health, wellness, and quality of life. We serve as
a catalyst by identifying innovative research themes, developing research teams and fostering
interdisciplinary research.
Center for Nutrition, Learning and Memory
http://neuroscience.illinois.edu/
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Abbott Nutrition have established the first-ever
multi-disciplinary nutrition and cognition research center, which will be located on the Urbana campus.
The Center for Nutrition, Learning, and Memory (CNLM) will lead research on the impact of nutrition on
learning and memory in the human brain. This collaboration takes the field of nutrition science into new
territory, utilizing the research expertise of the Neuroscience Program and the Division of Nutritional
Sciences, along with the world-renowned research facilities at the Institute for Genomic Biology and the
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Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. The CNLM is seeking research proposals from
university faculty.
Center for People and Infrastructures
http://www.csl.uiuc.edu/infra-center
From smart utilities like the smart grid and intelligent transportation systems to social networks on sites
like Facebook and YouTube, the infrastructures of tomorrow will heavily utilize information technology.
While these “smart” infrastructures promise many benefits, they often require new kinds of interaction
between people and the machines meant to serve them. Yet the social, cultural, economic and political
side of these relationships often receives little attention. The Center for People and Infrastructures
seeks to address these issues by better understanding social norms, market structures, public policies
and human capabilities that shape and are affected by the development of smart infrastructures. The
center brings together experts in engineering, design, the social sciences, and computer science.
Center for Professional Responsibility in Business and Society
http://www.business.illinois.edu/responsibility/
The mission of the inter-disciplinary Center is to develop a national vision that articulates societal
expectations of a professional's responsibility and accountability at both the individual and
organizational level.
Center for Research and International Business Education
http://www.ciber.uiuc.edu/
The Center for International Business Education and Research at the University of Illinois (Illinois CIBER)
was established in 1993 as a leader in advancing the study and teaching of international business and
supporting research on global competitiveness.
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Listing of Social Science Research Centers and Initiatives in the Big 10
Indiana University
Interdisciplinary Experimental Laboratory
http://www.indiana.edu/~ielab/mission.html
The Interdisciplinary Experimental Laboratory (IELab) at Indiana University is devoted to cutting edge
experimental research in the behavioral sciences. The laboratory enables faculty, graduate students, and
undergraduates at Indiana University, as well as other universities and agencies, to participate in the
exploration of social science theories related to individual and group behaviors, with the purpose of
developing more powerful theories of social interaction. A primary mission of the laboratory is the
pursuit of spatially explicit research that can analyze how complex social and environmental stimuli
affect human behavior. Funding for the Laboratory facility and support staff is provided by the National
Science Foundation, and by Indiana University.
The Kinsey Institute
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/
The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University works towards advancing sexual health and knowledge
worldwide. For over 60 years, the institute has been a trusted source for investigating and informing the
world about critical issues in sex, gender and reproduction. The mission of The Kinsey Institute is to
promote interdisciplinary research and scholarship in the fields of human sexuality, gender, and
reproduction. The Institute carries out this mission through:
 development of specialized collections of resources for scholars;
 programs of research and publication;
 interdisciplinary conferences and seminars;
 provision of information services to researchers; and graduate training.
The Institute's broader mission includes service to the University and professional communities
through teaching, clinical and research training, tours and presentations, and to the public
through provision of clinical services for problems related to sexual and reproductive health
and referral to appropriate organizations and groups.
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University of Iowa
Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
The University of Iowa maintains membership in the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social
Research (ICPSR), which is operated by the University of Michigan. This membership enables members
of the University community to obtain a vast array of data for secondary data analysis regarding
economic, education, health, international, legal, legislative, political, and other areas of social research.
Social Science Policy
Current Studies
 Race, Gender and Imprisonment
 Education Finance
 Violent Victimization in the US: The Vulnerability of Minorities and Women over Time
 Urban Finance and Economics
 Transportation Finance
Public Policy Center |Iowa Social Science Research Center
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/isrc
The Iowa Social Science Research Center is a resource for interdisciplinary social science research that
provides comprehensive grant development support and data collection, management, and access
services to the university community.
Services
 Data Collection
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/isrc/services/data-collection
 Grant Development Support
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/isrc/services/grants
 Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/isrc/services/icpsr
 Hawkeye Poll
http://ppc.uiowa.edu/isrc/services/hawkeye-poll
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Listing of Social Science Research Centers and Initiatives in the Big 10
University of Michigan
Institute for Social Research
http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/about/
ISR Centers

Center for Political Studies
http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/about/cps.html

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/about/icpsr.html

Population Studies Center
http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/about/psc.html

Research Center for Group Dynamics
http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/about/rcgd.html

Survey Research Center
http://www.isr.umich.edu/home/about/src.html
Eg. #1) Population Studies Center (PSC) - comprised of independent population researchers who pursue
their own agendas with the support of the PSC staff. A large portfolio of both domestic and
international research is supported by the Center. PSC is strong in several key areas of demographic
research:
1. Health, Disability, and Mortality
2. Population Dynamics
3. Aging
4. Methodology
5. Regional Studies
Eg., #2) Survey Research Center - SRC is continuously evolving and has grown to include a wide array of
active research programs:
 Economic Behavior

Family & Demography

Life Course Development

Quantitative Methodology

Social Environment & Health

Socio-environmental Studies

Social Indicators

Survey Methodology

Urban & Environmental Studies

Youth and Social Issues
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Michigan State University
Institute for Public Policy and Social Research
http://www.ippsr.msu.edu/
Mission
The Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) applies research to pressing public policy
issues and builds problem-solving relationships between the academic and policymaker communities. To
this end the Institute:
• promotes and conducts research on issues of public policy;
• provides survey research services;
• produces public policy education and training programs;
• initiates discussion of society's most pressing needs among diverse audiences.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Center for Addiction Studies
http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/cas/main/index.php
The purpose of the Center for Addiction Studies (CAS) is to develop research opportunities in areas of
addiction (including chemical abuse and problem gambling), administrate research on selected aspects
of addictions and provide campus coordination for teaching and curricula on addictions.
Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI)
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/CAREI/default.html
CAREI is the direct research link between the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human
Development and Minnesota schools PreK-16. Our mission is to improve the quality of education for all
learners through neutral, rigorous research and evaluation of educational contexts and initiatives.
Institute on Crime and Public Policy
http://www.law.umn.edu/icpp/index.html
The Institute on Crime and Public Policy was established in 2005 to support faculty scholarship on legal,
empirical, and normative issues concerning crime and public policy. Participating faculty are involved in
projects that cluster into five categories: American sentencing and corrections, comparative criminal
procedure and process, juvenile justice systems, normative theories of punishment, and crime control
policy. The institute is the home of four major publication series, including Crime and Justice—A Review
of Research and Criminology in Europe, and sponsors several scholarly conferences each year, alone or
in collaboration with various European research institutes.
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University of Minnesota Twin Cities (continued)
Center for Early Education and Development
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/CEED/
The Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) at the University of Minnesota strives to effect
positive change in early education, child care, and public policy. CEED has spent over 30 years helping
children from infancy through age eight to learn and develop to the best of their abilities.
National Center on Education Outcomes
http://www.cehd.umn.edu/nceo/
The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) was established in 1990 to provide national
leadership in designing and building educational assessments and accountability systems that
appropriately monitor educational results for all students, including students with disabilities and
English Language Learners (ELLs). CEO focuses its efforts in the following areas:



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Needs Assessments and Information Gathering on the participation and performance of
students with disabilities in state and national assessments and other educational reform
efforts.
Dissemination and Technical Assistance through publications, presentations, technical
assistance, and other networking activities.
State Data Collection Technical Assistance to assist states in continuing to meet the challenges
of collecting comprehensive, accurate, and consistent data on the participation and
performance of students with disabilities.
Collaboration and Leadership to build on the expertise of others and to develop leaders who
can conduct needed research and provide additional technical assistance.
Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health
http://www.epi.umn.edu/mch/index.php/Page/View/About-MCH
The Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health is committed to improving the
health of children, women and families. Center faculty and staff offer a Master's degree in Public Health
(including an online degree program), continuing professional education, and consultation and technical
assistance to community based organizations and agencies. Center faculty are involved in research in
child health, adolescent health, family health, health disparities, reproductive health, and women's
health. Emphasis is placed on:


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leadership education of future public health practitioners and academicians;
scholarship through research addressing the health needs of these populations, especially those who
are most vulnerable;
and partnership through collaboration with families, community professionals, and other academic
departments focused on promoting the health of these populations.
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University of Minnesota Twin Cities (continued)
Center for the Study of Politics and Governance
http://www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/index.php
The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance develops practical, independent, and non-partisan
solutions to pressing political and policy challenges. Founded in 2005, CSPG fosters effective and
efficient governance, increases the transparency of government processes, and rebuilds the public trust
in order to counteract negative influences that threaten our democracy.
Center for Rural Mental Health Studies
http://www.med.umn.edu/duluth-internal-resources/center-for-rural-mental-health-studies/
The Center for Rural Mental Health Studies seeks to better understand the factors that contribute to
mental health and disorders in rural areas and the barriers to effective treatment. With that knowledge,
we can generate better approaches to prevention, assessment, and treatment that fit in rural settings
financially, culturally, and geographically.
Center for the Study of Politics and Governance
http://www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/index.php
The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance develops practical, independent, and non-partisan
solutions to pressing political and policy challenges. Founded in 2005, CSPG fosters effective and
efficient governance, increases the transparency of government processes, and rebuilds the public trust
in order to counteract negative influences that threaten our democracy.
Institute for Translational Neuroscience (ITN)
http://itn.umn.edu/
The concept for this Institute stems from President Bruininks designation of neuroscience as one of the
areas for University-wide development, building on the existing strengths across the University. The ITN
is charged to enhance basic science discovery with the new knowledge leading to subsequent clinical
trials and establishment of new therapeutic principles or tools. The ITN will create a corridor of
discovery and application that leverages the strengths in basic neuroscience, imaging and other
interdisciplinary resources.
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Northwestern University
Institute for Policy Research
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/
Programs

Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/reschild1.html

Education Policy
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/educationpolicy.html

Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/resphilanthropy.html

Politics, Institutions, and Public Policy
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/respolitics.html

Poverty, Race, and Inequality
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/respoverty1.html

Social Disparities and Health
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/reshealth.html

Quantitative Methods for Policy Research
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/resqcenter.html

Urban Policy and Community Development
http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/research/resurban.html
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Office of Research and Economic Development
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Listing of Social Science Research Centers and Initiatives in the Big 10
The Ohio State University
Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging
http://ccbbi.osu.edu/
The CCBI is a new state-of-the art interdisciplinary research facility dedicated to pursuing structural and
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. It aims to contribute to the development of
future brain imaging modalities and to create and disseminate knowledge about brain, mind, and
imaging research.
Center for Cognitive Sciences
http://www.cog.ohio-state.edu/
The Center for Cognitive Science is one of the premiere cognitive science programs in the United States
with 65 affiliated faculty spanning 24 departments and 8 colleges. Ohio State is the largest university in
the nation and supports signature programs in linguistics, psychology, philosophy and computer science
making for a vibrant cognitive science community.
Institution for Population Research
http://ipr.osu.edu/about
The IPR was established in 2000 to build a multidisciplinary population and health research center at
Ohio State University. IPR's growth since 2006 has accelerated thanks to funds from the OSU Population
and Health Targeted Investment in Excellence (TIE). More recently, IPR received a five-year $2.2 million
center grant from the National Institutes of Health.
IPR is now recognized nationally as a premier population research center. To further its mission of
advancing research on population and health, IPR has a regular program of activities.
Statistical Consulting Service
http://www.scs.osu.edu/index.html
The SCS is a team of faculty, staff, and graduate students in the Department of Statistics. Our
mission is to provide professional statistical consulting support to OSU researchers and external
clients in business, science, industry, and government. The SCS provides support in the areas of:
 Research Planning
 Design of Experiments
 Database Development
 Survey Design, Administration, and Analysis
 Statistical Process Control
 Statistical Modeling and Analysis
 Independent Verification of Statistical Analyses and Results
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The Pennsylvania State University
Children, Youth and Families Consortium
http://www.ssri.psu.edu/cyfc
Population Research Institute
http://www.pop.psu.edu/
The Population Research Institute (PRI) at The Pennsylvania State University encourages, organizes, and
supports innovative research and training in the population sciences. With the talents of over sixty
outstanding scholars, PRI provides a supportive and collegial environment to stimulate collaborative,
externally funded research. PRI is an NICHD supported population center.
Social Science Research Institute
http://www.ssri.psu.edu/
SSRI includes a number of research centers focusing on specific issues in the social sciences.
SSRI Institutes and Centers
Social, Life and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center
http://www.imaging.psu.edu/
Survey Research Center
http://www.ssri.psu.edu/survey
The Survey Research Center provides a means for Penn State to marshal its considerable resources and
talents to conduct interdisciplinary and socially relevant research throughout the university community,
the state of Pennsylvania, and the nation.
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Listing of Social Science Research Centers and Initiatives in the Big 10
Purdue University
Center on Aging and the Life Course
http://www.purdue.edu/aging/about/
The Center on Aging and the Life Course (CALC) is designed as a university-wide entity to
strengthen interdisciplinary inquiry on aging. CALC has two central aims:
 advance research to optimize the aging experience of diverse populations
 prepare future leaders for the field of gerontology.
CALC is similar in many respects to existing centers on aging at peer institutions but distinctive
in its scope and mission. The focus of Purdue’s Center is optimizing functional independence
and well-being in later life (preventing disease and disability). In addition, CALC emphasizes the
application of the life course perspective—studying the aging process from gestation to
death—and leads inquiries at multiple levels of analysis (from cells to societies).
CALC draws upon the expertise of Faculty Associates from more than 20 departments at
Purdue. Twenty-eight students are currently pursuing a graduate degree related to aging
(either an interdisciplinary minor or a Dual-title PhD).
Center for Research on Diversity and Inclusion
http://www.cla.purdue.edu/crdi/
This new research Center aims to support and highlight the excellent scholarly work on
diversity and inclusion happening in Liberal Arts and across the University. CRDI also fosters and
facilitates more such innovative research, pushing into new areas and looking at old questions
in new ways.
Center for Research and Engagement in Science and Mathematics Education (CRESME)
http://cresme.education.purdue.edu/
The center’s mission is to research, develop, and implement exemplary mathematics and
science programs in all grade levels and to facilitate collaboration among faculty in the Colleges
of Education and Science to work towards the improvement of mathematics and science
education locally and globally. CRESME provides a common intellectual home for science and
mathematics education researchers at Purdue to:

Formulate and address both fundamental and applied science and mathematics
education research issues of national and international significance.
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Purdue University (continued)
Center for Research and Engagement in Science and Mathematics Education (CRESME) (continued)

Attract significant grant support for conducting interdisciplinary research and
engagement.

Improve science teaching and learning for Purdue faculty and students, P–12 teachers
and their students, and serve as a model for engagement and innovation at all levels
nationwide.

Provide opportunities for graduate students to develop skills that will enable them to
meet the pressing need for faculty with expertise in science and mathematics education.

New pedagogies, technologies, assessment mechanisms, and more created by faculty,
staff, and students through CRESME will lead to progressive and effective teaching
methods and improve training of teachers and, in turn, improve student science and
mathematics learning.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Institute on Aging
http://aging.wis
At the UW-Madison Institute on Aging, we are jointly focused on addressing the problems of aging,
which include diseases and impairments (e.g., osteoporosis, dementia, Parkinsons, glaucoma, mobility
problems) and the challenges of later life (e.g., widowhood, retirement, caregiving, relocation) as well as
the potential of aging, which refers to the notable strengths, resources, and vitality of those in their 70s
and beyond. Our goal is to understand the many factors (biological, psychological, social) that promote
resilience as people age and to translate this knowledge to innovative educational and community
intervention programs.
Collaborative Center for Health Equity (CCHE)
https://ictr.wisc.edu/HealthEquityCenter
The Collaborative Center for Health Equity (CCHE) is part of the NIH-funded UW Institute for Clinical and
Translational Research, and also holds its own P60 center grant from the National Center on Minority
Health and Health Disparities. CCHE works to promote underserved, minority, and immigrant health; to
increase health equity and improve health outcomes; and to assist in the development of health-care
providers’ and researchers’ skills in intercultural communication.
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University of Wisconsin-Madison (continued)
Collaborative Center for Health Equity (CCHE) (continued)
The Center has relationships with tribal, urban, and rural partners throughout the state of Wisconsin, in
addition to state and local government collaborations. Our staged partnership approach allows us to
create and nourish long-term, mutually respectful, and trusting partnerships with members of
underserved communities.
Our Mission
The Collaborative Center for Health Equity (CCHE) builds lasting partnerships and engages university and
community partners in collaborative teaching, research, and service initiatives to improve health equity
in underserved communities of Wisconsin.
Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis (CHSRA)
http://www.chsra.wisc.edu/
The Center for Health Systems Research and Analysis (CHSRA) was formed in 1973 as a collaborative
effort between the departments of Industrial Engineering and Preventive Medicine at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. At CHSRA, researchers seek to improve long-term care and health systems by
creating performance measures and developing information and decision support systems. CHSRA
research and development projects serve a variety of audiences, including:





Long-term care and health care providers
Consumers
Policy makers
Resident and patient advocates
Regulatory agencies
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