Research

Our research touches upon major questions facing society today.  How do we capture the benefits of technology and minimize its social costs?  

  • Technological change has fueled rising inequalities across communities and regions of the nation.  How can it be harnessed instead for inclusive growth and economic opportunity?   

  • Being online has enhanced the possibilities for citizens to be informed, to take part in governmental processes or to enjoy the provision of more rapid services. In times of emergency, like the current pandemic, life is moving online for some while others are left behind.

  • The generation of massive amounts of data through the Internet of Things poses new dilemmas for protecting individual privacy and security while at the same time enabling innovations like Smart Cities.  

 

Research on these and other issues is needed to develop collaborative solutions, including engaged research in cooperation with local governments, nonprofits, and firms.  Examples of diverse research topics examined in the center include:

  • Advancing evidence-based policymaking for broadband and digital inclusion programs

  • Using online news articles to understand how coordination involving government entities operates in public health emergency situations

  • Modeling mobility flows to understand push and pull factors in school choice

  • Constructing novel data sets to explore economic development in rural China

  • Building nonprofit open data collectives by combining unstructured and scattered datasets to enhance the performance of nonprofit organizations

See more about our major areas of research in the menu on the left.