Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis
Policy Research for Oklahoma and the Nation.
IPPRA conducts research across a range of domains, including weather, energy, education, national security, and health. Our work connects public policy scholarship with the physical sciences and engineering, drawing on the strengths of each to better inform how complex problems are addressed.
Explore IPPRA
Upcoming Events
Wonky Wednesdays
- David Hogg Preparedness in the food and agricultural sectors
- Somik Ghosh Affordable and resilient housing
- Open date
We’re Hiring
Research Scientist
We are seeking an early-to-mid-career Research Scientist to lead and contribute to a portfolio of externally funded, applied social science projects at the University of Oklahoma’s Institute for Public Policy Research & Analysis (IPPRA). Research areas may include weather, water resources, energy systems, environmental policy, and other interdisciplinary challenges at the intersection of science, technology, and public policy.
This position will lead research projects from conception through dissemination, producing high-quality scholarship as well as policy-relevant products that support evidence-based decision making. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative research environment and demonstrate the initiative, intellectual curiosity, and organizational skills needed to lead multiple research projects simultaneously.
Latest News
- IPPRA · September 2026Introducing the Fusion Energy Socio-Technical Observatory
- IPPRA · September 2026New Data Tool Maps Student Assignment Policies and School Segregation
- OU News · September 2025OU-led, NSF-Funded Collaboration Aims to Transform Fire Weather Warnings
- OU News · September 2025NSF Grant Funds OU, Community-based Team to Mitigate Weather-Driven Tree Damage
Directors' Blog
August 2026
A New Chapter for IPPRA
- September 2025From Earth to Orbit: Public Perspectives on the Future of Space Policy
- April 2025Introducing Prometheus 42: Elevating Secure Data Research at OU
- December 2024Open Doors or Roadblocks? Assessing District Compliance with Oklahoma’s Student Transfer Laws
- October 2024Establishing a Socio-Technical Observatory for Public Feedback into the Development of Fusion Energy Technologies
- December 2023A Deep Dive into Oklahoma's 2023 Education Legislation: A Rollercoaster of Conflicts and Compromises
- June 2023Public Views of America’s Energy Future
- May 2023Harnessing the Power of Data to Tackle Wicked Problems in Public Policy
- 2023Welcome to IPPRA Directors' Blog
Core Purpose
IPPRA is the University of Oklahoma’s hub for interdisciplinary policy research and analysis. We work with researchers across the university and with government agencies, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and communities to study complex policy questions. Our goal is to conduct research for impact – to provide research and analysis that can inform decisions across Oklahoma and the nation.
Capacity
IPPRA is an interdisciplinary team that brings decades of combined experience in public policy, with work on severe weather and related natural hazards, energy and environmental policy, education policy, government responses to pandemics, and national security.
Culture
The institutional culture at IPPRA is grounded in transdisciplinary thinking and collaboration. We look for ways to connect basic and applied research so that fundamental knowledge can be applied to pressing public problems.
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