Centers, Institutes, & Programs

BRIDGE (Building Research on Inequality and Diversity to Grow Equity) brings together Rice University faculty and students to enrich understanding of inequality by leveraging our location in Houston, Texas, one of the nation’s most racially and ethnically diverse urban centers. We aim to enhance knowledge of inequality’s patterns, causes, consequences, promote dialogue and action about inequality’s impact; and invest in the training of future scholars of inequality.

The Center for African and African American Studies is Rice’s primary location for curriculum and research related to Africa and to people of African descent in the Americas and beyond. Offering a broad base for teaching and pedagogical resources as well as interdisciplinary scholarship and programming that brings Rice into national and international conversations, the center is a clearinghouse for critical conversation, instruction, cutting-edge research and community outreach in an interdisciplinary fashion.

The Research Collective draws together Social Sciences faculty and students who have teaching and research interests in inequality and social equity. Our aim is to highlight the range and commitment to these issues across departments, demonstrating how fundamental they are to the mission and focus of the School of Social Sciences. The Collective provides a framework for cross-disciplinary discussions, collaborations, and synergies.

Focusing on the most pressing challenges facing the region, the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) is a research-practice partnership between Rice University and 11 Houston-area school districts. HERC research is developed directly alongside district leaders with findings shared with decision makers – culminating in long-term, equity-minded solutions, opportunities and growth for Houston and beyond.

Rice University’s Religion and Public Life Program (RPLP) is harnessing the power of the social sciences to do research that will help people understand each other, foster dialogue, break down stereotypes, and learn how to work together more effectively for the common good. The RPLP tackles controversial topics—some of the most pressing and polarizing issues of our time—through research and then translates that research, bringing together academic experts, faith leaders, and other constituents for events designed to advance dialogue about religion in public life.

The Social Sciences Research Institute is a research funding entity for Rice social sciences faculty and graduate students. It provides seed funds and other awards to promote cutting-edge research in the social sciences. "Thinking New and Thinking Big" is the Institute's mission.

The Texas Policy Lab (TPL) aims to change how policy is developed, implemented and evaluated in the state of Texas by providing rigorous, unbiased, timely, evidenced-based research to the key players in the decision-making process. TPL partners with state and local governments of Texas to evaluate the impact of select policies and programs. With the guidance and help of the Rice University faculty, TPL generates scientific evidence and knowledge that assist the Texas government bodies to tackle social and economic problems. These partnership will improve Texas state and local governments’ capacity to utilize data, research and technology in policymaking and resource allocation. TPL’s projects are initiated through a close partnership with government bodies and are guided by the pressing problems that our partners wish to solve.