Within the Keough School of Global Affairs, the Pulte Institute stands at the nexus of research informing policy on issues such as poverty, sustainability, education, and global development, translating knowledge into practical, evidence-based tools to make a tangible, positive impact on vulnerable populations.
As one of nine institutes and centers within the Keough School, the Pulte Institute has been a significant player in the study and implementation of policies that promote progress for people in need. Pulte Institute projects address the world’s most pressing problems through interdisciplinary research and collaboration with external partners and funding agencies. In addition to a range of global development courses focused on policy and practice, the Pulte Institute offers experiential learning and the opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to actively engage in real-world and personally meaningful projects.
One notable example is the Integration Lab, or i-Lab, which encompasses efforts to reduce poverty, promote economic growth, and enhance human well-being through rigorous research that is accessible and actionable.
The i-Lab is an 18-month experience that prepares Keough School Master of Global Affairs (MGA) students with the skills to work in diverse teams and to accelerate evidence to deliver more effective policies and programs by forging links between practitioners, policymakers, and those they serve.
Led by Academic Director Tracy Kijewski-Correa, Administrative Director Melissa Paulsen, Program Manager Alan Medina Hernández, and Faculty Advisor Marie Donahue, the i-Lab was established to help organizations find ways to tackle complex social challenges from collaborating with diverse disciplines to designing solutions that build legitimacy. International partners and MGA students collaborate to develop a project and produce an output — a report, case study, app, or toolkit — that helps partners meet a challenge.