Indiana University has hundreds of research centers, institutes, and museums spread across its campuses, each of them drawing people together to pursue new understandings and discoveries
These special environments for exploring allow researchers from across disciplines, departments, schools, and campuses to collaborate on pursuing important questions and ideas, from the study of religion, ethics, and society to cutting-edge information technology questions to the latest innovations in improving STEM learning among students.
Research centers are the hallmarks of great universities. Think of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, which was the academic home to Einstein, Oppenheimer, and Gödel, or IU’s own Kinsey Institute and the impact that Alfred Kinsey made on the field of sex research.
Centers and Institutes are necessary as a way to facilitate interdisciplinary work and attract research funding for that work. They attract and retain faculty of great renown and expand our body of knowledge about the world while addressing major societal issues.
Under the tenure of Indiana University leaders, including President Michael A. McRobbie and Vice President for Research Fred H. Cate, IU has explored a series of questions about our research centers and their impact.
While we currently have a total of 224 research centers, institutes, and museums that are actively involved in research activity, we also explore the operations, purpose and work to serve our campus community, state and beyond.
Below are highlights of the impact just a few special centers have recently made:
Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine & Engineering
The Indiana Center for Regenerative Medicine and Engineering is a multidisciplinary research center focused on developing novel technologies that regenerate cells and tissues affected by age, disease, damage, or congenital effects, leading to wound care and healing for patients. Located at the IU School of Medicine, the center comprises scientists and staff working to reduce the number of amputations in the state of Indiana and deliver critically acclaimed science.
Chandan Sen, a leading expert in regenerative medicine, is studying new ways to heal burns, address diabetic complications, treat injured soldiers, and regrow damaged and diseased tissue leading to innovative projects with powerful real-world impact.
Indiana University Network Science Institute
In our ever more interconnected social, economic, and technological planet, we are all part of networks, from inside our brains to the global economy. The interdisciplinary IUNI is dedicated to expanding research and development in the field of network science, which explores the connectivity and dynamics of the diverse complex networks underlying large-scale systems such as the environment, economics, technology and human health.
IUNI recently hosted the world’s largest conference on network science, gathering 700 experts from around the world to discuss potential impacts in the emerging field of network science.
Kinsey Institute
The Kinsey Institute fosters and promotes a greater understanding of human sexuality in all its diversity. Established by Alfred Kinsey in 1947, the institute focuses on research regarding sexual identity and gender diversity; reproductive health; aging and sexuality; the effects of sexual assault and aggression on relationships, and more. They also maintain a valued research library and extensive print, film, and fine art collections.
In fall 2019, the Kinsey Institute expanded its impact through an online continuing education program on sexuality and gender, in conjunction with the American Psychological Association.
IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute
Established in 2012, the IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute supports research and creative activity across the IUPUI campus and fosters ongoing partnerships and ventures that advance arts and humanities endeavors. As an urban-based institute, the IAHI works closely with the Indianapolis community to create engaging new programming and forums for dialogue, creativity, and experiment.
IAHI has big plans for 2020. By rolling out new grant programs, workshops and the IAHI Research Incubator, the Institute plans to make an impact through dozens of free public workshops and events, helping enrich the cultural landscape of central Indiana.
Ostrom Workshop
The Ostrom Workshop was founded at Indiana University in 1973 by Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom and her husband, Vincent. The workshop carries forward that legacy by seeking and sharing solutions to the world’s most pressing problems involving the governance of communal and contested resources— from clean water to secure cyberspace.
The Ostrom Workshop recently appointed new executive director, Scott Shackelford, who also leads the Ostrom Workshop Program on Cybersecurity and Internet Governance. The Ostrom Workshop is building from the rich legacy of Elinor Ostrom while continuing to push the frontiers of governance research and in its impact, create a more sustainable, and peaceful, future for all.
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