Research Centers, Institutes & Facilities

Current research includes modeling of atmospheric propagation; oscillator arrays; acoustics of sound absorbing materials; and underwater soundscapes

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Adolescents and Families Laboratory research focuses on factors that influence the developmental trajectories of children and adolescents, including both risk and resilience factors.

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Our group's research interests revolve around advanced computing, DNA nanotechnology, and systems biology. Our primary focus is to understand the molecular interactions that govern self-assembly, and to develop computational models that can predict and explain molecular systems for general computing purposes.

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The Manuscript Collection, also known as the American Catholic History Collection, collects personal papers and institutional records which document the heritage and history of the American Catholic people.

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The AnthroHydro research group at Catholic University focuses on the interface between humans and water. The lab solves problems on topics like microplastic transport, green infrastructure, and increasing diversity in STEM.

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The Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship aims to promote a new kind of entrepreneur: a person capable of integrating personal virtue, cutting-edge entrepreneurial tools and long-term perspective to launch and grow enterprises that harness human creativity at the service of individuals and communities.

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This center focuses on advancing biomedical technologies using a unique bacteriophage T4 technology developed by Biology Professor Venigalla Rao. 

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The BCIRehab Lab's research focuses on enhancing our understanding of the sensorimotor brain system, developing neurotechnologies for motor rehabilitation in patients with neurological impairments, and improving motor performance in healthy subjects.

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Catholics for Family Peace is an education and research ministry dedicated to helping people use Catholic teachings to recognize and respond to domestic abuse.

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The Center for the Advancement of Children, Youth, and Families (CACYF) aims to strengthen, through research, education, training and technical assistance, the social services that support the quality of life, safety, and well-being of children, youth, and families within their communities.

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The Center for Applied Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Research works in coordination with the Biomedical Engineering department of the Catholic University of America and the research department of the MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital.

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The Center for Carmelite Studies promotes academic studies and research related to the rich Carmelite tradition.

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The Center for the Constitution and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition promotes scholarship that explores the relevance of the Catholic intellectual tradition for American constitutionalism.

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The Center for Human Rights promotes the dignity of the human person through research and education.

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The Center for Law and the Human Person provides a forum for the systematic study of the connection between the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and the law.

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The Center for Medieval and Byzantine Studies at Catholic University offers a meeting point and active scholarly community for researchers and students of the medieval period. It offers interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and organizes and co-sponsors a variety of events, from public lectures and symposia to museum field trips and Medieval Day.

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The Center for the Promotion of Health and Mental Health Well-being conducts impactful empirical studies on promoting the physical and mental health of individuals, organizations, communities and society.

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The Center for Religious Liberty at The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, is an academic center dedicated to the study and articulation of the Catholic approach to religious liberty as a fundamental human right for all persons, regardless of faith.

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The Center for the Study of Early Christianity fosters an interdisciplinary approach to the study of early Christianity across the whole University. It also sponsors a broad range of related scholarly activities, including lectures, seminars, conferences, workshops, publications, and networks of affiliation.

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The Center promotes research, teaching, and public discussion about the meaning of statesmanship and how it can defuse conflict and foster respectful foreign and domestic relations.

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The CAN lab seeks to explore the interactive relationship between cognitive processes and emotional processes, with a focus on children, adolescents, and young adults.

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The Cognition & Virtual Reality Lab studies topics in Cognitive Science, including: Technology in Education, Training, and Research, Prospective Memory, Visual Search, Working Memory, Spatial Navigation, Survival Processing, and Executive Functions. 

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The Comparative and International Law Institute (CILI) is a certificate program designed to give students the opportunity to pursue a concentration of courses in the public and private areas of international law.

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The Columbus School of Law’s Compliance, Investigations & Corporate Responsibility Program offers a unique opportunity for students to gain the skills necessary to work in the compliance and sustainability fields and to enhance the transparency, responsibility, and sustainability of organizations in the United States and around the world.

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The Computational Informatics Laboratory is a research and training unit in the department of Electric Engineering and Computer Science at the Catholic University of America.

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This is a consortium of research centers in the National Catholic School of Social Service (NCSSS) that coalesces current teaching, research, and service by the faculty using Catholic Social Teaching as the framework.

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The International Center for Ward Method Studies exists to promote the teaching and preservation of Gregorian Chant according to the principles and techniques of Dom André Mocquereau and to advance the teaching of the Ward Method of Music Instruction for Catholic Schools in the United States and internationally.

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The Institute for Astrophysics and Computational Sciences (IACS) develops strong research and educational programs in the areas of astrophysics and computational sciences at The Catholic University of America. It also promotes closer cooperation between Catholic University and government agencies.

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Subcenters:

Partnership for Heliophysics and Space Environment Research (PHaSER)

The Partnership for Heliophysics and Space Environment Research (PHaSER) supports the scientific and technical program of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Heliophysics Science Division (HSD).

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Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology

This center carries out observational, experimental, and theoretical research in support of NASA strategic science missions. The center is not housed at CatholicU, but is a collaboration between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and four local universities — led by the University of Maryland, College Park and including the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; The Catholic University of America; Howard University; and Southeastern Universities Research Association.

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The Semitics/ICOR Library supports the teaching/research efforts of the Department of Semitic & Egyptian Languages & Literatures and its Institute of Christian Oriental Research (ICOR), with holdings in languages and thought of the Bible and the Ancient Near East; and the languages, literatures, and history of the Christian Near East.

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The Institute for Human Ecology (IHE) at The Catholic University of America is the nation’s leading academic institute committed to increasing scientific understanding of the economic, cultural, and social conditions vital for human flourishing.

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The Institute for Interreligious Study and Dialogue’s goal is to promote interreligious scholarship and exchange in religion, theology and related disciplines, and across various religious traditions.

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The ILAIS is a multidisciplinary intellectual forum for learning, research, and dialogue that serves as an umbrella organization on Latin American and Iberian studies and initiatives for all students, faculty, scholars, researchers, and staff at The Catholic University of America.

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The Catholic University of America’s Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies [IPR] is an interdisciplinary policy research center whose Fellows, scholars, and students provide timely analysis of policy issues relevant to the life of the Church, the University, legislators, scholars, professionals, and concerned citizens, including the media.

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The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art provides a singular preparation for choral conductors and organists in service to the Church, the nation, and the world. Its programs involve an immersion in liturgical, theoretical, and historical studies.

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The Institute for the Study of Eastern Christianity aims to foster and focus the study of eastern Christianity in all its expressions. It encourages course offerings; offers an undergraduate certificate program; sponsors a student organization for all eastern Christians; welcomes lecturers and sponsors conferences on related topics; and acts as a hub in the Washington, D.C. area, for community engagement.

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The Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education (ITCE) inspires and promotes the spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and operational renewal of our nation’s PK-12 Catholic schools through teacher and leader degree and professional development programs, school accreditation, and research.

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The Integrated BioMicroFluidics (iBMF) Lab, directed by Associate Professor Xiaolong Luo in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Catholic University aims to develop novel tools that bridges between engineering and biology.

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The Latin American Center for Graduate Studies in Music (LAMC) was created to promote the study, research and performance of Ibero-American music.

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The Law and Public Policy Program (LPP) is for students interested in careers in the public policy arena. The program offers specialized courses and externships, opportunities for interdisciplinary study, academic counseling, and cocurricular activities designed to expose students to the public policy-making process.

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The Law and Technology Institute (LTI) offers an enhanced curriculum to students interested in exploring the many important legal questions and policy debates surrounding evolving technologies.

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Through education and charity, we will help build Catholic communities by eliminating burdensome debt and placing families on the path to financial stability.

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The Marriage and Religion Research Initiative (MARRI) researches the effects of marriage and religion on society.

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The McLean Center pursues a variety of academic activities related to the intercultural study of values and the human person. 

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The goal of this lab is to elucidate neuromechanics of functional impairment following different neurological injuries, and to develop and implement novel rehabilitation engineering techniques to promote neural plasticity and consequent functional recovery.

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 RAISE is funded by the Office of Naval Research as part of their Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Program and stands for Research and Innovative STEM Education. It features evening classes and summer programs and is free for local high school students. 

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The Mission of this RERC is to champion innovative rehabilitation technologies and approaches that will improve therapeutic outcomes among individuals with neurologic impairment.

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The Securities Law Program seeks to instill in its students familiarity with a variety of substantive topics of current and enduring impact on Securities regulation; an ability to apply regulatory, administrative, and judicial holdings to issues arising within the field; and enhanced legal writing and advocacy skills.

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SPI serves as a hub of academic research and debate on legal and constitutional questions related to the role of the three federal branches of government and the allocation of their role and functions within the federal constitutional system.

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This laboratory is established to perform research and development in the general areas of signal and image processing.

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The Suicide Prevention Laboratory studies suicide risk assessment (both quantitatively and qualitatively) and treatment of suicidal risk in different suicidal populations across a range of clinical settings.

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The Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL) is a research and development facility focused on the study of glass and its many uses. Since the late 1970s, much of VSL’s work has centered on nuclear waste management through a process called vitrification, in which radioactive waste is transformed into glass using a 2,000-degree Fahrenheit melter.

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