Research and Publications
Penn State Behrend emphasizes research as a significant component of the undergraduate experience and provides nearly $250,000 in funding for such research opportunities each year. In addition, School of Humanities and Social Sciences students collaborate with professors on research, publications, and projects that make a difference in the real world.
Outreach Centers
Students also have an opportunity to learn and work in the college’s outreach centers, which provide valuable services to the community.
- BOLD-C: Behrend Open Lab for Digital Creations
BOLD Creations (BOLD-C) encourages collaborations of Penn State Behrend students with local independent filmmakers, non-profit institutions, and commercial clients. We are eager to support boldly experimental cinematic projects with our students and the Erie community. - CORE: Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation
Susan Hirt Hagen CORE provides research, evaluation, and grant-writing services for public and private organizations. Its formal mentoring program, The Mentor Project, enables selected Behrend mentors to work together as a team and facilitate weekly programmatic activities with students at local schools. - Digital Humanities Lab at Penn State Behrend
Through the Penn State Digital Humanities Lab, students and faculty members collaborate on digital projects, working in computational text analysis, digital photography, sound production and design, creative writing, and digital project management. In addition, the lab hosts a lecture series, hackathons, and workshops on community interests. A key focus is on supporting and employing emerging digital humanities scholars at the undergraduate level. - Institute on the American Dream
The Institute on the American Dream defines, analyzes, and compares concepts of individual, ethnic, and national American dreams. The Institute also organizes academic and community programs to understand and foster appropriate visions for the future. - Janet Neff Sample Center for Manners and Civility
The Janet Neff Sample Center for Manners and Civility currently provides grants to various campus organizations that plan civility-related programs and/or research. These include Residence Life, the Speaker Series, Athletics, and Admissions. In addition, students enrolled in related classes provide outreach services to Erie-area schools and organizations embracing the goals of civility education for students of all ages. - PARC: Prevention of Aggression Resource Center
The Prevention of Aggression Resource Center (PARC) at Penn State Behrend promotes positive developmental outcomes by providing cutting-edge research, education, training, and resources to educators, social service providers, students, and parents in the area of bullying prevention and prosocial behavior development. - Public Policy Initiative at Penn State Behrend
The Public Policy Initiative at Penn State Behrend was created to bring together diverse perspectives to inform public policy decisions that affect the Erie region and like communities in the Great Lakes and Ohio River Basin areas. - Virtual/Augmented Reality Lab
The VAR Lab at Penn State Behrend works with students, the community, and industry partners to implement augmented and virtual reality solutions that improve learning, training, and well-being.