Harnessing the Power of Research
Serving as a hub for the creation and exchange of knowledge, GCI brings together the resources and intellectual capital of the university and joins it with community stakeholders to produce research that influences public policy to impact the quality of life in the city. Because GCI’s research is a public good, the Institute is committed to producing and promoting research that is accessible, useful, and responsive to the multi-faceted issues facing the region.
As UIC’s center for engaged urban scholarship, GCI’s goal is to harness our research as a powerful tool to contribute to a more just, equitable and sustainable society.
Engaging a range of community stakeholders and drawing research and influence from across the UIC campus, GCI supports and informs the dialogue around urban issues in four key ways:
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- Producing dedicated, transformational research: GCI’s dynamic, multi-disciplinary team produces research that influences policy and dialogue in the Chicago region and cities across the globe. For more information about current research underway at GCI, check out our Research Clusters page or search past GCI research on the Research Archive page.
- Supporting critical & significant work: GCI recognizes that funding is critical to carrying out significant work and the Institute offers several research support opportunities to UIC faculty, students, and community partners. For more information about current opportunities please visit our Funding page, Faculty Scholars page, and Faculty Fellows page.
- Convening conversations focused on real-world solutions: Engaging a broad network of partners and informed urban advocates, GCI bridges discussions across a range of concerned audiences to collectively address specific policy issues and challenges facing the metropolitan area and to find real-world solutions to meet identified needs.
- Creating space for intellectual exchange among scholars from across the globe: GCI is a hub that attracts national and international visitors for varying periods of time bringing with them the opportunity for comparative analysis and expanded networks.