Research Areas

Search faculty by research area

Our faculty members collaborate across disciplines and often work in more than one research area—a benefit to students as they explore the areas in policy or environmental studies they most want to impact. Recognizing the importance of our work, multiple sources fund our research including the World Bank, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Explore the O’Neill School’s research publications   Search our faculty research

Public Affairs

Civil Society, Civic Engagement, & Volunteering

Advancing society through civic engagement, nongovernmental organizations, and volunteering.

Cultural Policy & Arts Administration

The interrelation between arts and civil society, intellectual and cultural property rights, and the impact of cultural investment.

Governance & Public Law

Relationships among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and dynamics across public, private, and nonprofit sectors.

International Affairs & Development

Issues related to economic development, foreign aid, democratic movements, global economic crises, and climate change.

Local Governance

Local governments and community partners: the critical foundation of democracies that affect the everyday life of citizens.

Methods, Econometrics, & Data Management

Innovative solutions to complex problems using and applying data in a variety of disciplinary fields.

Nonprofit Management & Philanthropy

Improving the well-being of humankind through charitable aid and strategic nonprofit management.

Policy Analysis

Improving public policy through systematic research and analysis.

Public Finance & Economics

Government's role in the economy and the impact of public sector activities on economic behavior.

Public Management & Leadership

The application of private management and leadership techniques to governmental and nonprofit entities.

Social Policy & Health

Social policy research related to poverty alleviation, welfare program design, and access to housing and education, and health policy research on the effect government actions have on healthcare.

Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy and Science

Environmental & Energy Policy

Complex policy issues in the context of evolving regulations, fiscal constraints, and environmental challenges.

Sustainability & Sustainable Development

Adapting policy to address environmental issues for long-term sustainability.

Environmental Science

Ecology & Conservation

The interaction of plants, animals, and micro-organisms with their environment, and the influence of human activity on that interaction.

Atmospheric Chemistry

The impact of human activities on the composition and chemistry of the atmosphere.

Biogeochemistry & Environmental Microbiology

The effects of microbial processes and geochemistry in aquatic and terrestrial systems.

Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry

Chemicals in the environment and their adverse effects on the region's animal and plant life.

Hydrology & Water Resources

A broad, interdisciplinary field that includes hydrology, water quality, and aquatic ecology.