Civic Research and Design at Rice  

As part of the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), the Office of Fellowships and Undergraduate Research promotes and develops opportunities for members of the Rice community to engage directly with the City of Houston through collaborative, community-based research and design.  We host and recognize a number of courses, programs, and activities that allow students, faculty members, and community partners to work together on Houston-based civic projects.  We identify experiential learning courses from across the university that provide students with opportunities to work with Rice faculty and community partners on projects that address challenges facing the Houston community.  We work directly with faculty and community leaders and organizations to identify existing, and facilitate new, civic collaborations.  And, through our CCE Fellows program, we solicit and support substantive, high-quality undergraduate research and/or design projects that are faculty-supervised and conducted in collaboration with a Houston-based partner.  

The Civic Research and Design portal on our website contains information on how students, faculty, and community partners can learn about and participate in community-based research and design opportunities through Rice University.  

For Students 

If you are a Rice undergraduate student interested in Civic Research and Design courses, the CCE Fellows Program, or other community-based research and design opportunities in Houston, click here.  

 For Faculty    

If you are a Rice faculty member interested in offering a course with a Houston community-based research or design component, serving as an advisor to a CCE Fellow, or conducting Houston community-based research or design work, click here. 

For Community Partners 

If you are interested in serving as a community partner for a CCE Fellow, or would like to propose a Houston community-based research or design project, click here.  

If you would like more information about civic research and design at Rice University, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Vann, Associate Director of Civic Research and Design, evann@rice.edu.