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NORC at the University Chicago
Finding practical solutions that make a real difference.

It’s one thing to identify a problem that stubbornly afflicts society. It’s entirely something else to come up with an effective solution. That’s where The Bridge at NORC comes in (formerly the Academic Research Centers).

We call ourselves “Bridge” because our social science experts connect NORC’s researchers with those at the University of Chicago and other top-tier schools. We also serve as a bridge between researchers and on-the-ground practitioners to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

Logo for The Bridge at NORC

Department Lead

Michael Reynolds
Senior Vice President & Director

The Bridge at NORC Experts

Our Expertise

Discover Our Research

Bridge demonstrates the power of collaboration with academic experts and practitioners in the field.

The Arts May Offer Many Ways to Heal

NORC Article

NORC assessed about 375 arts engagement studies conducted over the last 20 years for a report commissioned by The William Penn Foundation.

Most Americans Say State and Federal Governments Should Subsidize Higher Education

NORC Article

A recent AmeriSpeak® survey for New America reveals that 63 percent of Americans think that the government—not students—should pay for postsecondary education.

Group of students sitting in the classroom and paying attention to the lecture

Chicago African-American Network Health Study

Using social networks to track HIV among Black men who have sex with men

Client:

National Institute on Drug Abuse; Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Chicago

Head Start-to-Kindergarten Transition Project

The first rigorous, system-level study of the factors driving successful kindergarten transitions

Client:

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families

Chicago Health and Activity in Real-Time (CHART)

The first-ever study documenting how activity spaces change as people age

Client:

The National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health