Centers

Leading research for public good

Our research centers focus on a range of public policy issues, around which faculty members and students collaborate on interdisciplinary policy research.

The majority of our research faculty members are linked to one or more of the several research centers housed at or affiliated with the LBJ School. The centers and initiatives located in the LBJ School house major research grants that provide student employment as research assistants, further enhancing their research training and experience. LBJ school faculty members either lead or engage with other affiliated centers, all of which provide important platforms for collaborations with an even larger number of centers and institutes that exist across the campus.

Centers Located in the LBJ School

The Patman Center for Civic and Political Engagement  
The Patman Center for Civic and Political Engagement envisions a stronger democracy through cultivating the next generation of public leaders and citizens. The Patman Center was made possible through a generous gift-the largest in the LBJ School's history-from married UT alumni Ambassador Carrin F. Patman (J.D. 82) and James V. Derrick, Jr. (B.A. '67 and J.D. '70).  

Center Municipal Capital Markets (CMCM)     
Developing greater understanding and expertise in the municipal capital markets in response to the substantial amount of resources governments at all levels require to address their sizable and growing infrastructure needs. 

Center for the Study of Race and Democracy (CSRD)     
Leading an important and robust dialogue on race relations, civil rights and democracy through interdisciplinary research and scholarship.

Extreme Weather Adaptation Lab   
With extreme weather events striking with more frequency and intensity, the need for proactive governance is critical. By equipping local leaders with tailored insights and resources, the Extreme Weather Adaptation Lab aims to reduce the human, environmental and financial costs of these escalating threats, fostering more resilient and better prepared communities across the state.

The Impact Factory     
A collaboration between Dell Medical School and the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The Impact Factory is an engine for civic innovation, entrepreneurship and service learning at The University of Texas at Austin. Michael Hole, M.D., MBA, is its founding director. A first-of-its kind, cross-sector collaboration, The Impact Factory aims to measurably improve health and prosperity for vulnerable populations in the United States.

LBJ Urban Lab     
A "do-tank" that will inform future urban policy and create strategy for cities in Texas and beyond, training the next generation of local leaders and exploring issues affecting urban communities.

LBJ Washington Center     
A federal policy and research hub in the nation's capital, the center also provides master’s students the opportunity of working and earning a graduate degree simultaneously through an immersive 15-month program commencing in Austin and ending in Washington, DC.

Prison and Jail Innovation Lab     
The Prison and Jail Innovation Lab (PJIL) serves as a bridge between academic research, practical experience, and policy in order to shine a light on conditions of confinement, advocate for improved oversight, and transform the way we treat people in prisons and jails.

Ray Marshall Center for the Study of Human Resources (RMC)     
Identifying and fostering creative solutions to challenging education, workforce and social problems through applied research, policy analysis and innovative program design.

RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service (RGK)     
Preparing the next generation of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders through graduate education and research.

Intelligence Studies Project (ISP)    
The Intelligence Studies Project (ISP) was established to be a premier center for the study of U.S. Intelligence through a variety of programs, including new course offerings and research projects, as well as periodic conferences and other public events focused on intelligence topics.

Affiliated Centers