About ISTPP
A nonpartisan, interdisciplinary public policy research institute
Under the direction of Dr. Arnold Vedlitz, holder of the Bob Bullock Chair in Government and Public Policy, the Institute pursues a dual mission:
- the scholarly examination of public policy issues
- the communication of research-based knowledge to the public and decision makers.
Interdisciplinary Research Focus Areas
ISTPP conducts basic and applied interdisciplinary research in four substantive areas:
- Environment and Natural Resources Policy
- Emerging Technologies and Public Policy
- Infrastructure, Built Environment and Public Policy
- Health and Health Policy
The Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy (ISTPP) was created in the fall of 2000 on the foundation laid by the Center for Public Leadership Studies (CPLS). CPLS was created in 1993 and became one of two research centers in the Bush School of Government and Public Service. It focused on three types of activities. These were 1) development of externally funded, interdisciplinary research; 2) creation of an executive development program for transferring research-based information to decision makers; and 3) implementation of an undergraduate course designed to introduce talented juniors to the concept of interdisciplinary collaboration. As the Bush School's academic programs matured, it became clear that a logical place for the educational portion of CPLS was in the Bush School and this change allowed CPLS to transition to an institute that concentrates more exclusively on research development and the general problem of information transfer.
At the time of its elevation to the status of institute in 2000, ISTPP staff and associated scholars had been awarded nearly $2.7 million in externally funded research grants and had produced numerous works of scholarship based on the results. As an institute, it has been awarded over $5.4 million in externally funded research grants and continues to build upon this record by focusing on interdisciplinary research in selected areas of science, technology, and policy analysis.