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Public Affairs Research Laboratory (PARL)

The Public Affairs Research Laboratory (PARL) provides strategic planning, program evaluation, research, and facilitation to public and nonprofit organizations. PARL connects local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders with faculty experts who have experience in the latest research techniques and methodologies.

Effective data analysis and stakeholder engagement enable informed decision making. PARL focuses on grants and contracts that connect organizations and governments with this expert analysis and facilitation.

PARL services include:

  • Strategic Planning
  • Program evaluation
  • Survey and focus group research
  • Workforce development and economic impact analysis
  • Statistical analysis and GIS

Contact
Douglas Carr, Associate Professor and MPA Program Director
Public Affairs Research Laboratory Director
[email protected]
248-370-2972

Vision
Expert analysis available to public and nonprofit organizations 

Mission
Leverage faculty expertise to support vibrant communities and organizations through community engaged scholarship

Douglas Carr, Department of Political Science

Cody Eldridge, Department of Political Science

Martha Escobar, Department of Psychology

Matthew Fails, Department of Political Science

Sung-eun Kim, Department of Political Science

George Milne, Department of History

Michelle Parkhill Purdie, Department of Psychology

Thomas Raffel, Department of Biological Sciences

Jo Reger, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice

Todd Shackelford, Department of Psychology

John Stavick, Department of Political Science

Betty Tonui, Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice

Lisa Welling, Department of Psychology

Virgil Zeigler-Hill, Department of Psychology

Since its inception in 1983, PARL has worked with many governments and organizations. Past projects include:

Building Capacity and Collaboration of Nonprofits in Times of Crisis: Pontiac

Advancing Macomb

Lighthouse of Oakland County

Oakland Family Services

Oakland University

Pontiac Promise Zone

Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce

St. Joseph Hospital

The Art Experience

United Way of Oakland County

Lapeer County

Oakland County

Addison Township

City of Auburn Hills

City of Davison

City of Mount Clemens

City of Pontiac

City of Rochester

City of Rochester Hills

City of Royal Oak

City of Sterling Heights

City of Troy Police Department

City of Utica

City or Troy

Davison Township

Oakland Township

Orion Township

Oxford Township

Oakland Township Park Commission

Pontiac Downtown Development Authority

Rochester Hills Public Library

Village of Beverly Hills

Village of Holly

Washtenaw County

Circuit Court, Oakland County

Flint Police Officers Association

Macomb County Health Department

Oakland Township Library

Pontiac Fire Fighters Union

Warren Professional Fire Fighters Union

AGBU Manoogian School

Birmingham Schools

Davison Community Schools

Lake Orion School District

Oakland Schools

Oakland Schools ISD

Riverview Schools

Rochester Community Schools

Waterford School District

Waterford School District

Political Science

Varner Hall, Room 418
371 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2352