Centers & Institutes

The Barton Institute addresses major social issues by promoting and enhancing traditional and new forms of philanthropy. Their tactics include establishing partnerships between government, private and non-profit sectors, supporting policy labs as they study problems and test new solutions, and promoting education in social entrepeneurship. In working with DU, they hope to help create a generation of graduates driven by the prospect of doing good in the world.

The Butler Institute for Families works to strengthen child and family well-being by improving the programs, systems and communities that serve them. Their efforts include developing training systems for child welfare workers and advancing programs for early-childhood literacy. A number of their initiatives center on protecting and benefiting Native American youth and families.

With politics occupying an increasingly central role in the average American’s daily life, it’s essential to try to understand the shifting norms and customs of our political system. The Center on American Politics promotes discussion of current issues and fosters political scholarship across campus. The Center aims to improve the quality and quantity of creative political research, increase awareness through scholarly and community programming, and provide support for policy makers and media groups in the region.

Our Center for China-US Cooperation works to promote positive mutual understanding between China and the United States and advance knowledge around changes in the political, economic and cultural landscape of China. They accomplish this by holding public lectures by experts in the field, organizing conferences around important themes, hosting visiting scholars and engaging in joint research projects.

The Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning supports DU's efforts to benefit the public good and works to integrate community service throughout the community. The center maintains a database of volunteer positions available, coordinates community work-study positions and helps faculty incorporate service learning into their courses. The center also offers grants to student projects that will serve the common good, such as homelessness research.

We collaborate with agencies, communities, tribes and governmental entities to support the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based practices that promote emotional and behavioral health and keep children and youth with their families and in their communities. Our work reduces juvenile justice and child welfare involvement — and costs — by increasing the availability of effective psychosocial interventions.

The Center on Housing and Homelessness Research (CHHR) provides information and expertise to communities, policymakers and practitioners to transform the lives of people experiencing poverty, housing insecurity and homelessness by improving access to resources and increasing opportunities and choices.

The Center for Judaic Studies is committed to advancing knowledge of Jewish history and thought. The Center's faculty is made up of internationally recognized experts on Jewish culture, religion, language, literature, philosophy and film. Additionally, the Center puts on events and activities throughout the state and engages in dialogue with campus and community groups to help us further our goal of inclusive excellence.

The University of Denver's Center for Middle East Studies is dedicated to promoting and strengthening the study and understanding of the societies, political systems and international relations of the Middle East and broader Islamic world, both at DU and throughout the Mountain West. In addition to their research, the Center hosts films, panel discussions and other events, and their experts have appeared on television and authored books and articles.

The Center for Oncology Psychology Excellence is a research and training program partnered with community cancer centers. Their goal is to provide psychology students with the proper training to help cancer patients with the distress that often accompanies their illness. In addition to training, the Center will serve as a hub for research and program evaluation on the psychological, social and emotional impacts of cancer.

The Colorado European Union Center of Excellence is committed to fostering interpersonal and institutional relationships between the Rocky Mountain West and the European Union. In addition to their extensive research on European Union affairs and comparative politics, the Center has created partnerships between universities, businesses, NGOs and government offices, including a diplomatic connection with the E.U. delegation to the U.S.

The Conflict Resolution Institute works to discover ways to de-escalate, end and ultimately prevent conflict. Their research draws from communications, management and international relations, and has equal application in politics, business and personal relations. Graduate students who work with the institute can even get hands-on experience in mediation.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Institute focuses on deploying biomedical and genetic research in the hopes of preventing disease and improving our understanding of human health. Current projects include examinations of the processes behind neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS, as well as a study of the links between Down Syndrome and certain types of cancer.

As the media industries undergo a tremendous level of change, the Estlow International Center for Journalism & New Media seeks to improve our understanding of the ways in which people draw meaning from popular entertainment and journalism. The Center works to support new and emerging ways for the press to act as a check on power and contribute to human rights and the public good internationally.

The Human Trafficking Center uses data to understand forced labor and human trafficking. By partnering with legislators, NGOs and international organizations, they encourage cooperation, influence policy and raise public awareness. Their approach allows the development and practice of a wide variety of tactics in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.

The Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) works to advance innovative and practical solutions to the problems within America’s legal system so that it is trusted and trustworthy. Their efforts include reforming the civil justice process so it is fair, efficient, reliable and accountable; increasing access to justice and improving outcomes for families and self-represented litigants; identifying methods to best select and retain quality judges; and ensuring tomorrow's lawyers are prepared to handle the country's rapidly changing legal environment.

The Institute for Enterprise Ethics is dedicated to advancing ethical, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable practices in corporate leadership. Researchers collaborate with business leaders to develop ways to make ethical behavior, social responsibility and sustainability essential parts of the fabric of American corporate culture.

The Institute for Human-Animal Connection studies the various relationships between humans, animals and the environment. They believe respectful, responsible interaction with other living things is essential for global stability, sustainability and equality. Fields studied include community-based animal welfare, animal abuse and its connections to domestic violence, and the international wildlife trade.

The Institute for Public Policy Studies is devoted to the evidence-based analysis of contemporary issues. Government spending, health care, national security, criminal justice and immigration are a few of the topics considered by the Institute.

The International Career Advancement Program aims to increase diversity among senior management and policy-making positions in international public service, in both governmental and private organizations. By helping qualified professionals from underrepresented groups assume leadership positions, they hope to improve the quality and effectiveness of public service organizations internationally.

The Knoebel Institute creates and implements solutions for issues related to aging. It takes a holistic approach to problem solving, incorporating engineering, natural sciences, social work and psychology. Current research efforts range from understanding the impact concussions during youth have on the development of Alzheimer's later in life to improving public attitudes toward aging.

The Latin America Center coordinates research, education and cultural activities related to Latin America and serves as a bridge between the University institute and the region. Center initiatives work to advance human rights and sustainability, promote peacebuilding, protect indigenous groups, improve US-Latin America relations and stand against human trafficking and inequality.

The Latino Leadership Institute’s nine-month Fellowship Program combines the leadership ethos of knowledge, skills and tools that, combined with new networks, prepares Latino professionals for elevated roles of influence in Colorado.

The John Madden Center for Innovation in Liberal and Creative Arts (Madden Center) reimagines liberal and creative arts education in a way that emphasizes flexibility and adaptability. We offer the space, seed money and administrative help necessary to support new pilot projects and signature academic programs. By investing in these new models of courses and curriculum, the Madden Center supports improvement and innovation in scholarship, research and educational practices.

The Marsico Institute is dedicated to improving learning environments and academic outcomes for children 8 years old and younger. With 93% of brain development occurring before the age of five, proper relationships and learning opportunities during these early years are crucial in setting children up for success later in life. The Institute evaluates and develops methods for improving early literacy and ensuring children are able to start on the right path.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute provides seasoned learners with opportunities to expand their social and educational networks. With our membership all over 50 years of age and hearing becoming a challenge for older adults, we look forward to the opportunity to bring Clear Audio to our OLLI at DU classes.

The Pardee Center aims to explore, understand and shape our global society's many different possible paths into the future. They created International Futures, a freely available computer tool that models long-term development and interaction of human social and environmental systems for 186 countries. The system is being used by governments, businesses and international organizations to improve how they understand dynamic systems and to help shape reasonable expectations for development. Students are involved in updating data and improving the algorithms behind the system.

The Sié Cheou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy is dedicated to creating an understanding of the evolving nature of security and diplomacy. They integrate students into research, maintain active conversations with policy leaders and make complex issues understandable to a broad audience. The Center's research projects focus on managing violence and maximizing resilience at levels ranging from local to global.

The Transportation Institute is at the center of a distinguished network of transportation leaders. Their efforts focus on improving logistics and increasing supply chain efficiency worldwide. They work to create solutions that will benefit both the general public and market leaders.

The Ved Nanda Center for International & Comparative Law works to inspire excellence in legal studies, particularly in the field of international law. They provide the support necessary to promote the increased dissemination of quality legal writing, as well as a venue for communication with the larger Sturm College of Law community. In addition to sponsoring research, the center regularly hosts panel discussions and guest speakers who share their expertise on a range of legal topics.