International Research at BC
More than 35 research centers and institutes make significant contributions to scientific research, the exploration of the relationship between religion and society, and improved practice in education and corporate conduct. The list below provides an overview of the centers and institutes that incorporate a global dimension in their activities and work.
What should I do before engaging with international partners?
Visit the Global Engagement Gateway to find out.
Research Spotlight
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Understanding human learning
Boston College faculty members Sara Cordes, Joshua Hartshorne, and Jaclyn Ford of the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience have received National Science Foundation grants to support their research projects that focus on different aspects of human learning and memory.
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NSF CAREER award for recycling carbon dioxide
“In this field of study, fundamental chemical questions are closely coupled to broad and global questions about sustainability that touch almost every aspect of modern society.”-Matthias Waegele, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Boston College Assistant Professor of Chemistry Matthias Waegele, whose research explores potential routes to cleaner energy sources, has received a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation that will provide $675,000 in research funding during the next five years.
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Boston College professor has uncovered a drug and diet pairing that could fight a deadly brain cancer.
The international team combined a calorie-restricted diet high in fat and low in carbohydrates with a tumor-inhibiting antibiotic and found the combination destroys cancer stem cells and mesenchymal cells, the two major cells found in glioblastoma, a fast-moving brain cancer that resists traditional treatment protocols.
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COVID-19: The Reality Today and What Will Happen Next
On March 16, 2020, a panel of experts discussed the current status of COVID-19 around the world. The online event, organized by the International Studies program at Boston College, addressed the coronavirus pandemic in terms of its epidemiology as well as the global, national, and local politics and policies adopted to address it.
The Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy
The Clough Center aims to reinvigorate and reimagine the study of constitutional democracy in the 21st century. By taking a holistic, global, and interdisciplinary approach to constitutional democracy, the Center fosters research and reflection on the promise and challenges of constitutional government in the United States and around the world.
Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society
The Schiller Institute creates and sustains emerging initiatives in basic and applied science; educates the next generation of science and technology leaders and innovators; develops and deploys new tools and technologies to address important societal problems; and promotes partnerships with industry and the public and private sectors.
Center for Human Rights and International Justice (CHRIJ)
CHRIJ addresses the interdisciplinary needs of human rights work. It nurtures a new generation of scholars and practitioners who draw upon the strengths of many disciplines and the wisdom of rigorous ethical training. The Center is built upon BC’s tradition of service to others and its broad scholarly reach in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
Center for International Higher Education (CIHE)
CIHE promotes the belief that an international perspective is needed to foster enlightened policies and practices in higher education. With this mission, CIHE aims to advance knowledge about the complex realities of higher education in the contemporary world through its research, publications, training programs, and advisory activities.
Center for Irish Programs
The Center encompasses all Irish initiatives at BC including the University's Irish Studies program, the Irish Institute, the Burns Library Irish Collections, Boston College-Ireland in Dublin, and the Gaelic Roots Program. It seeks to support and connect students, alumni, and friends with an interest in Ireland and all things Irish.
Institute for Scientific Research (ISR)
ISR has been and continues to be at the forefront of world-class innovative research. Our team of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and research associates uses its expertise for theoretical and experimental studies that include space physics, space chemistry, solar-terrestrial research, space weather, and astrophysical studies.
TIMSS & PIRLS
The Center conducts international comparative assessments of student achievement in mathematics and science and in reading in more than 60 countries. TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) and PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) together comprise the core cycle of studies for the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.
Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies
The Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies seeks to deepen understanding and appreciation of the history, spirituality, educational heritage, and pedagogical approach of the Society of Jesus through courses, workshops, publications, and scholarly symposia.
The Jesuit Institute
Within the atmosphere of academic freedom and colleagueship, the Institute promotes research and collaboration on issues that emerge at the intersection of faith and culture. The Institute supports programs that explore such religious and ethical questions and sponsors the presence on campus of scholars committed to these questions.
Roche Center for Catholic Education
The Barbara & Patrick Roche Center for Catholic Education addresses critical questions challenging the effectiveness of Catholic education by engaging in research, providing professional programs, and hosting crucial conversations with local, national, and global partners.This work advances both the formation of Catholic school leadership and the systemic transformation of Catholic education. The generosity of a Warmenhoven Foundation grant for the 2018–19 academic year will support new educational research in Mexico to inform models of Catholic education in the United States and Nigeria.