About

The Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute is a research unit at the University of Texas at Austin established by the Texas Legislature in September 1995 and named for Irma Rangel in 2009 (previously, it was known as the PPI).  Our focus is researching public policy issues salient to the State of Texas through the support of UT graduate student and faculty research, by publishing our findings in a wide variety of outlets, and by hosting conferences, seminars, speaker series, and other events in order to disseminate research results.

The Institute offers graduate students a unique opportunity to gain experience in the process of academic knowledge production through their work on various projects.  They learn and apply skills such as conducting original research, reviewing policy and political science literatures, analyzing data, designing and conducting opinion surveys, conducting in-person interviews, and writing for publication and for presentation at conferences.  Graduate Research Assistants have worked with faculty inside and outside of the Department of Government and contributed to a wide range of publications.

Research Fellowships

Through research fellowships, the Institute supports approximately five Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) appointments every year for graduate students in the Department of Government as well as other departments and schools. Over the last decade, the Institute has supported over 150 semester-long GRA appointments – almost all at full-time (20 hrs/wk) – as well as some part-time Undergraduate Research Assistantships.  We have also offered over dozens of Summer Session research fellowships, a rare source of financial support for graduate students during these months. 

Research Grants

The Irma Rangel Institute awards research grants to graduate students to support doctoral and other research and to faculty to support work consistent with its research mission.

Knowledge Dissemination

The Irma Rangel Institute supports research relevant to both academic and policy communities.  Our research has appeared in a variety of scholarly outlets as well as in the media.  We have published and supported publications on many policy topics and aspects of the policy process (we are in the process of creating a “Publications” section of this website -- please check back to see an expanding list of available research products).  In addition, the Institute hosts conferences and invites guest lecturers to UT (see the Events link for a list of current and recent events).