Research Centers

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The Humphrey School of Public Affairs’ world-class faculty members and staff influence policy and inform solutions in communities locally, nationally, and internationally, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary scholarship and community engagement.  

Through its six policy research and outreach centers, the Humphrey School leads the way in developing solutions to many of the critical challenges facing Minnesota, the nation, and the world.

Researchers in these centers make significant contributions in the areas of leadership and management, politics and governance, urban and regional planning, gender policy, and science, technology, and environmental policy.


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Center for Integrative Leadership

The Center for Integrative Leadership at the University of Minnesota seeks to catalyze, support and inform collaborative action to address significant and solvable societal challenges. We represent the commitment of the University's policy, business, public health, education, and law schools to shared leadership for public good.


Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy

The Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy fosters interdisciplinary and community-engaged research on human well-being, environmental sustainability, and social justice in a complex and diverse world. 

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Center for the Study of Politics and Governance

The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is a preeminent hub for political and policy analysis in the Midwest. The Center generates dialogue across difference by stimulating vigorous but civil debate. We encourage leaders, students, and citizens to approach the critical issues of our time in innovative ways.


Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy

The Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy illuminates gender-based disparities through research, teaching, and public engagement. We provide students, researchers, policymakers, and the public with tools to better understand how public policy impacts gender equality in our local communities, throughout the United States, and around the world.

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Institute for Urban and Regional Infrastructure Finance

The Institute for Urban and Regional Infrastructure Finance (IURIF) advances research and engagement on strategic issues of infrastructure investment in urban and rural areas, covering physical assets such as transportation and water, and social assets such as education, public housing, and public safety.


Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice

The Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice is dedicated to finding solutions to racial and ethnic inequality using an integrated model of research, dialogue, and community partnerships.

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