Researchers suggest that an "engineering of reading" could better translate evidence into practice.

The newly renovated facility, overlooking Deering Meadow, is a hub for teaching, research and collaboration across fields

New research by Chika Okafor shows how district attorney elections drove up prison admissions and sentence lengths during the era of rising mass incarceration.

In Chicago, half of the city’s Head Start families rely on it so the parents can work.

In case you’re looking for a new deep dive.

New study finds that protecting mature trees could help save lives

Andy Papachristos invites you to explore the research excellence that leads to policy impact within the 50-year old Institute for Policy Research (IPR), home...

IPR faculty use small grants as scaffolding for larger projects

New policy brief explores the gap between agencies' powers and practices Every year, about 17% of low-wage workers in the U.S. are paid less than the minimum wage they a re legally owed. On average, they lose 20% of their income . Between 2021 and 2023, more than 11 million workers lost wages this way.

A recent article found that 53% of voters ages 15–39 want a Democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election. Tabitha Bonilla, an associate professor at Northwestern University, breaks down what the findings mean.

IPR policy research briefs recap important policy-relevant findings.

The new tools should sharpen your thinking rather than outsource it.

The ANCHOR grant program has awarded more than $2 million to Evanston and Chicago groups

New study examines paternal mortality data in Georgia, finds 60% of deaths were preventable

A new study from Northwestern University sought to answer whether Americans have moved past prejudices against gay people, and what kind of gay candidates face little to no electoral penalty. The research reveals American voters are more accepting of gay candidates than at any point in our history, but acceptance is conditional and varies by political party.

Why birth order leaves an indelible mark has long eluded scientists. Now we have some answers that suggest what parents and policymakers can do about it.

Chicago’s deadly 1995 heat wave showed how neighborhood conditions and social ties determine who stays safe in extreme weather. Now, IPR associate Dan Horton is leading a working group to map those risks through a Heat Vulnerability Index. Combining data like temperature, public health records, and residents’ on-the-ground insights, the index will pinpoint which Chicago communities face the greatest danger as climate change makes heat waves more common.

YouTube video by FOX 32 Chicago

Food preparation typically requires access to clean drinking water. This Analysis of data from the World Risk Poll explores the links between food sufficiency, clean drinking water availability and th...

The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Louisiana’s second majority-Black Congressional district could have major ramifications for redistricting and minority representation and leadership across ...

Join us for a talk by Bridget Goosby on “Pushing the Boundaries: Understanding Health Inequities through a Biosocial Lens.“

Climate change has implications for everything from immigration to agricultural policy, but its most immediate impact is on the daily lives of people experiencing its effects. In a recent working paper, IPR sociologist Julia Behrman has turned her attention to how extreme drought and rainfall affect major life decisions among women in Malawi.

A Northwestern University-led research team has received a $2 million grant over three years from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build on its work with Ojibwe tribes in the western Great Lakes region studying the health and socio-ecological conditions of manoomin (wild rice in Ojibwe).

Visiting Scholars and Policy Fellows Programs

New research by IPR political scientist Mary McGrath reveals that after going through four weekly guided discussions, pairs of friends and family members with opposite views about climate change were less polarized about their beliefs. People skeptical of climate change were more likely to see it as an issue that required action and that they believed in—a change that lasted at least three months after going through the intervention.

Chicago’s deadly 1995 heat wave showed how neighborhood conditions and social ties determine who stays safe in extreme weather. Now, IPR associate Dan Horton is leading a working group to map those risks through a Heat Vulnerability Index. Combining data like temperature, public health records, and residents’ on-the-ground insights, the index will pinpoint which Chicago communities face the greatest danger as climate change makes heat waves more common.

Steve Reinke, professor of art theory and practice, and Sera Young, professor of anthropology and global health, at Northwestern University are among the 2026 Guggenheim Fellows announced by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation earlier this week.

Visiting Scholars and Policy Fellows Programs

2026 Summer Research Training Institute on Cluster-Randomized Trials.

How can researchers better champion their work and make the case for evidence-based policy?

In a new survey, more than half of responding judges report using at least one AI tool in their judicial work

How can researchers better champion their work and make the case for evidence-based policy?

Visiting Scholars and Policy Fellows Programs

Visiting Scholars and Policy Fellows Programs

As the Trump admin urges folks to have more kids, new data shows early pregnancy care moving in the wrong direction

The case could determine whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is constitutional.

Experts and GOP strategists say Trump’s focus on voter laws and foreign excursions risks alienating persuadable Americans in 2026.