Research Centers & Institutes
Inspiring Knowledge Across Disciplines
Our research centers and institutes bring together the brightest faculty and students from every discipline to address enduring issues of significance to policymakers, industry leaders, and communities. At the heart of our institutional mission is research that aims to advance equity for underserved communities who face barriers in accessing comprehensive healthcare, housing, economic resources, and education, among other policy issues. The research enterprise at Howard’s Graduate School is enriched by the work of the University's research centers and institutes, which are helping to shape public policy and enriching communities in D.C., the nation, and across the world.
Data-Driven Discovery
Data science is powering innovation at Howard. Whether it's using data science for social good by seeking to address racial bias in artificial intelligence-driven credit approval processes at the Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics, predicting the spread of viral RNA as part of the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Group, or fortifying our digital infrastructure against cyberattacks at the Data Science and Cybersecurity Center, Howard's data scientists are solving some of the globe's most pressing challenges. They're making cutting-edge discoveries across various industries, including social impact, healthcare, finance, education, and big tech.
Achieving Health Equity
The COVID-19 pandemic has shed critical light on health disparities across the nation and the globe. At Howard's Graduate School, much of the research our faculty undertake examines inequities in healthcare access, outcomes, quality, and costs. Our faculty and student scholars are conducting pathbreaking research at Howard's Center for Sickle Cell Disease and Cancer Center to understand the social determinants of health. They are helping to develop life-saving treatments for cancer, sickle cell disease, heart disease, and comorbidities that disproportionately impact communities of color and historically underserved populations.
Protecting Our Environment
Climate change. Energy policy. Food deserts. Environmental justice. These are some of the areas faculty at Howard's Graduate School are researching. Looking toward the future of our planet, our faculty and students are transforming research inquiry into action to create a more sustainable, resilient ecosystem. The research taking place at centers like the NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (NCAS-M) and the Environmental and Water Resources Engineering initiative is wide-ranging, examining the health impacts of environmental change, the relationships between human activity and natural ecosystems, and the ecological effects of wastewater management.
Technology for a Better Society
Our Graduate School faculty is leveraging technological advances to solve some of the globe's most pressing challenges. From influencing the design of smart cities and examining the limits of autonomous vehicles to developing more efficient and reliable energy systems, our faculty lead research initiatives that are helping shape technology’s promise for an improved society. The work of research centers like Howard's Transportation Research Center, Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and Center for Energy Systems and Control aims to prepare the next generation of leaders to navigate challenges at the intersection of technological change and society.
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Empowering Resilient Communities
Research centers such as Howard's Center on Race and Wealth and the Center of Excellence in Housing and Urban Research catalyze collaborative research to support more just, equitable, and resilient communities. Research scholars at Howard are addressing disparities in healthcare, education, housing, economic well-being, and wealth to help close these gaps at local, national, and global levels. Howard's Graduate School faculty and students are advancing research-based practices that center on community engagement, helping to ensure that their research addresses the needs of communities in the U.S. and beyond.
Social Justice & Policy
From criminal justice and education reform to advancing environmental, economic, and social justice for historically underserved communities, research scholars at Howard— encompassing disciplines as wide-reaching as sociology, economics, history, political science, education, biomedical science, and psychology— are shedding light on how to improve the life chances of communities across the nation and the globe through the framework of social justice. The work of initiatives like the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center, the Center for Urban Progress, and the Social Justice Consortium at Howard is advancing real policy change for communities.
Inspiring Global Community
Howard’s Center for Women, Gender, and Global Leadership (CWGGL) is expanding Howard’s gender equity work across the globe. Centers like the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center and Howard's Center for African Studies aim to increase the University's footprint in international relations and expand opportunities for global immersion across our campus community. Situated in the globally-diverse Washington, D.C., Howard's Graduate School fosters an intellectual community dedicated to sharing knowledge of global cities and their communities, inspiring a robust international community.