Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) today congratulated the University of Michigan (U-M) Institute of Social Research (ISR) after learning ISR would be receiving a significant American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) construction grant.   The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will invest $14.8 million in ISR for construction and renovation.  As the world’s largest academic social science research and survey organization, this award will be used to provide ISR with the funds necessary to further expand its programs in social and political research.  The award brings the total ARRA stimulus funding for the ISR to $48.3 million to date. 

“I appreciate the National Institutes of Health continued commitment to maintaining the excellence of institutes of social research and improvement,” Congressman Dingell said.  “ISR is internationally renowned and respected around the nation for the work they accomplish.  This grant will allow ISR to continue and expand upon its distinguished research, such as the Health and Retirement Study and the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Survey of Consumer Attitudes, as well as provide the faculty and staff with a first class facility to match the quality of research they produce.  ISR’s expansion provides a unique potential for job growth: opening up new positions for the unemployed in Michigan and solidifying opportunities for talented college graduates.”

The award awaits approval by the U-M Board of Regents, but plans for construction should occur over the next couple of years.  The plans call for an expansion of 50,000 square feet to the Thompson Building of the U-M Institute for Social Research.  The hope is to facilitate an expansion which equips the ISR to remain the premier and largest academic social science research and survey organization.

ISR Director James S. Jackson explains the purpose of the award: “In order to enhance the capabilities of the Institute to conduct path-breaking research, we need to create a physical facility that supports the breadth and depth of social science research conducted here.”

“ISR brings together a growing number of researchers who are using biometric and biological markers in their surveys, and integrating these data with more conventional social and behavioral data present new challenges and new demands for a physical infrastructure that supports this exciting new research direction.”

According to Jackson there are five main keys the project aims to attain.  The project will increase the capacity of research facilities, enhance the productivity of the researchers by increasing opportunities to coordinate and integrate across programs, provide modern facilities for ISR’s communication with its national and international partners, create facilities for training researchers and integrating them into various research projects, and create a sustainable and effective physical environment to encourage clean and efficient energy and environmental policies.  The project should create up to 200 short-term and long-term jobs.

 

 

# # #