About Us
The Public Policy Center (PPC) is an interdisciplinary research center in the Office of the Vice President for Research. We support a large intramural research program and a university-wide research development program, emphasizing, but not limited to, the social sciences. PPC researchers investigate some of the most important problems facing society at the local and national level. We share the resources and expertise of the University of Iowa with policymakers and the public through our engagement activities. Student involvement and training in research is emphasized, as is the development and support of interdisciplinary research across all Colleges.
Our Mission
To provide policymakers and the public with information to make our lives and communities thrive in sustainable ways through academic research.
Four objectives support this mission:
Engagement
We share policy-relevant research outcomes and the expertise of UI scholars by engaging with our community, the public, and with policy-makers in Iowa.
Student Success
We provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students on campus through employment and policy-relevant courses and experiences.
Research Support
We support social science research on campus by providing resources directly to investigators.
Intramural Research
Rigorous, engaged research is at the heart of the Public Policy Center. Our policy programs include:
The Crime and Justice Policy Research Program conducts research on the causes and consequences of crime, interpersonal violence, and antisocial behavior. The program also considers the implementation and implications of public policies designed to prevent and control criminal offending.
The Environmental Policy Program considers issues such as water use, pollution and climate change. These challenges are considered from an economic, legal, or policy perspective.
The Health Policy Research Program investigates the effects of policy initiatives and government activities on cost of, access to, and quality of health care systems and their effects on consumers, health care providers, policymakers and businesses across Iowa and the nation.
The Politics and Policy Program conducts research on local, state, national and international government and politics, and how these politics affect the creation of public policy. We also consider whether and to what extent governments “work” and the implications of government design.
The Social and Education Policy Research Program conducts research on education policy, poverty and inequality, housing and regional development, tax policy, and family and child policy.
Transportation & Vehicle Safety Research program works to improve technology design through a better understanding of human behavior. The challenge is to match user needs with the optimal solutions—technological or otherwise.
History
The PPC was founded in 1988 by David Forkenbrock, professor of urban and regional planning, who served as its director until 2007. As a freestanding unit in the Office of the Vice President for Research, the PPC's original focus was Transportation Policy research, followed by Health Policy research, and Human Factors and Vehicle Safety research.
In 2023, Mark Berg, professor and collegiate scholar in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, was named director. Through a variety of initiatives and programs, the PPC supports social science research across colleges and departments. Embedded within PPC operations is a multi-faceted service unit, the Iowa Social Science Research Center, that assists UI social scientists with grant development, pre-award processes, survey data collection, project administration, and much more.