Specialized Centers and Facilities

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Research Enterprise

Office of Research Administration
The Office of Research Administration (ORA) provides support services to faculty, graduate students, and staff seeking external grant funds for research, instruction, and service from federal, state, and local government programs, as well as private foundations.  Several specialized research units report to the Office of Research Administration.  In addition, the ORA facilitates technology transfer through assisting inventors in filing for patent applications, negotiating licensing agreements, and setting up start-up companies. 

The ORA works together with faculty committees to award and administer internal research grants, including coordination of the University of Missouri Research Board competition, Research Awards, the Small Grants Funds, the Chancellor’s Awards for Research and Creativity, and the Grants Incentive Funds.  The ORA also works through faculty committees to monitor University compliance with various federal and state regulations for research. 

Center for Emerging Technologies
The Center for Emerging Technologies is a public-private-academic partnership, which includes the University of Missouri-St. Louis and the Missouri Department of Economic Development.  The mission of the Center is to position the St. Louis region as an important center for advanced technology and knowledge-based economic development.  The Center primarily functions as an incubator for startup companies.  With 90,000 square feet space, it houses fifteen startup companies. Inventions that lead to the establishment of these startups often originate from university research laboratories and faculty and graduate students provide valuable expertise to these enterprises.  In addition, the Center presents educational seminars to help entrepreneurs with legal matters related to patents and licenses, information on venture capital financing, and other business strategies. 

Missouri Enterprise
Missouri Enterprise is a non-profit statewide operation affiliated with the university.  It assists small businesses with industrial, manufacturing, and design engineering projects; it helps in developing strategic business and marketing plans; and in setting up performance evaluation.  Missouri Enterprise specialists advise businesses on all aspects of their operations, from tactical product promotions to complete, company-wide five-year business plans.  Their services assist businesses in improving personnel management, safety, manufacturing efficiency, research funding, communications services and record-keeping, feasibility studies, and more.

Public Policy Research Center
The Public Policy Research Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis produces and disseminates methodologically rigorous and unbiased applied analysis and evaluation of public policies and programs, and theoretical research on public policy issues. PPRC’s vision is to advance the public research mission of the University of Missouri-St. Louis by becoming the preeminent applied policy research resource for the civic and public communities of metropolitan St. Louis and the State of Missouri.  PPRC responds to community-identified needs with a multi-disciplinary approach to applied and quantitative research.

PPRC contributes to the University of Missouri-St. Louis’s mission by conducting applied research for the civic, nonprofit, and public sectors of the St. Louis area and the State of Missouri. Specifically, PPRC’s role is in Criterion Five: Engagement and Service. By conducting applied research PPRC responds to the needs and expectations of its constituencies. PPRC has developed the capacity to conduct multi-disciplinary research using a variety of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. PPRC applies its expertise in service to faculty who initiate community-based projects as well as directly to community constituencies.

PPRC is organized around two units: Applied Research and the Public Finance Initiative. Each unit is headed by a director. Other PPRC initiatives include the Point-of-View Photography Project, which mirrors PPRC’s research by teaching participants from community groups to use photography to document the work they are doing to improve the quality of life in the region. 

Center for Business and Industrial Studies
The Center for Business and Industrial Studies is organized within the College of Business Administration for studying managerial problems and performing applied research. The center operates on a not‑for‑profit basis, helping organizations nationwide to understand factors affecting their business environments and to enhance their productivity. University faculty, supported by powerful computer systems, statistical databases, and sophisticated software, provide multidisciplinary consultation in a wide variety of business applications. Studies are undertaken in computer systems, operations management, human resources management, planning and business development, facilities location, distribution, marketing, and financial analysis. Organizations contract with the center for studies tailored to their specific needs. For a brochure outlining the center's services, call (314) 516-5857.

Center for Transportation Studies
This center is an interdisciplinary center, bridging contemporary and historical aspects of transportation.  It brings together scholars from Business, History, Economics, Political Science, English, Art History and others.  The Center is pioneering a new program in Supply Chain Management, developing funds for research into the role private sector transportation plays in the provision of public transportation services. For further information consult the http://www.umsl.edu/depts/cts/.

Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Division of Continuing Education to support and enhance economic, financial and entrepreneurship education in elementary and secondary schools. The center provides in‑service programs for area teachers. Working closely with local school districts, the center serves to improve and evaluate economics curriculum. The center develops and publishes curriculum units for K-12 classrooms.  The center also promotes the goals of economic, entrepreneurship and personal finance education among business, professional, educational, labor, and other organizations and individuals in the St. Louis community.

Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center
The Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center promotes education and research concerning the study of biodiversity, conservation, and sustainable use of tropical ecosystems. The center was established to centralize the activities of faculty at UM‑St. Louis and researchers at the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis Zoo who specialize in ecology, evolution, systematics, and conservation biology. A priority is to provide funding for graduate students interested in tropical biology and conservation who are enrolled in the cooperative graduate program between UM‑St. Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis Zoo. The International Center for Tropical Ecology sponsors multidisciplinary lectures and symposia on biological, political, and cultural issues related to tropical ecosystems. The center also provides funding and assistance to the undergraduate Certificate in Conservation Biology, which focuses on Missouri conservation, and the graduate certificate in Tropical Biology and Conservation.

Center for Nanoscience
Nanoscience can be viewed as the natural extension of existing sciences (e.g. biology, chemistry, and physics) into the realms of the extremely small (one billionth of a meter); all sciences converge at the nanometer scale.  The Center for Nanoscience (CNS) at the University of Missouri - St. Louis seeks to exploit novel developments in this area and serves as a focal point for collaboration among scientist across several disciplines.  Housed in the William L. Clay Building, which was specially designed and constructed to facilitate studies of ultra-small scale phenomena, the CNS offers outstanding nanocharacterization facilities and provides lab and office space for individual investigators from various University of Missouri - St. Louis departments.  CNS faculty members are strongly encourage to work collaboratively with scientists within CNS across University of Missouri - St. Louis and in other academic and industrial research institutions to solve challenging scientific and technological problems.  Faculty members and students associated with CNS have greater opportunities to interact with industrial researchers.  The CNS at University of Missouri - St. Louis is a cutting-edge technical facility and vibrating interdisciplinary resource for St. Louis and beyond.

Center for Neurodynamics
This center sponsors basic research on transmission and processing of information by the brain and the sensory nervous system. Research functions are performed largely by faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral research associates, though exceptionally talented and motivated undergraduate students also make valuable research contributions. The center is interdisciplinary, composed of faculty from the departments of Biology and Physics and the College of Optometry. It maintains a program of external associates with whom collaborative research projects are pursued. Current associates are in Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Mass.; and Viatech Imaging Inc., Ivoryton, Conn. The center is host to frequent scientific visitors and maintains an active program of seminars on contemporary problems in neuroscience and in the physics underlying neural processes. For further information consult the Center for Neurodynamics Home Page

Missouri Research Park
The University of Missouri System Strategic Plan establishes a mission and goal to promote economic growth for the state and provide assistance in manpower training, technology transfer, innovation and research and development through productive partnerships. The Missouri Research Park is a result of that vision and has been the catalyst for high-tech development along the Hwy. 40/61 corridor in St. Charles County.  Major corporations have followed the trend and are clustering near the Missouri Research Park. 

Center for Trauma Recovery
CTR is a multi-disciplinary center of the University of Missouri-St. Louis whose purpose is to foster research, graduate and undergraduate education, and service in the areas of trauma and victimization.  The Center consists of faculty affiliates from six departments in the University who have research, teaching or service interests in trauma related topics.  These individuals share a common set of goals.  The Center sponsors a colloquium series every semester and offers an undergraduate certificate in Trauma Studies.  The CTR is housed in the Kathy J. Weinman Building which also contains the Weinman Child Advocacy Center that provides services to traumatized children.

Children's Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis (CASGLS)
The Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis provides services to children who have been sexually abused.  The organization offers forensic fact-finding interviews; medical exams; victim advocacy, individual, family and group therapy; and training for the community at-large and area professionals.  Internships for undergraduate and graduate students are available. Children’s Advocacy Services has two facilities: one is located on the University of Missouri-St. Louis South Campus and one is located in the Central West End.

Centers Providing Public and University Service

Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center
Now beginning its fourth season of presenting the finest in the performing arts to the St. Louis region, the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center opened its doors in September 2003.  The $52 million non-profit facility designed by the architectural firm of internationally renowned I. M. Pei features the 1,625-seat Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall and the 350-seat E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater.  The Touhill is the jewel of the UMSL campus and is a focal point for creating an arts district for students at the University.

The Touhill’s mission is laid out in the following statement:  The Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis creates opportunities for the people in our region to experience, appreciate and embrace the transformational power of the performing arts.  It is a welcoming place, a leading cultural partner in our community and a symbol of this University’s commitment to integrate education, innovation and excellence. More information about the Touhill can be found at

Child Development Center
The Child Development Center, 130 South Campus Classroom Building, provides high-quality day programs for children of students, faculty, staff, and community families. The program operates from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, year round. This program serves children from six weeks to five years of age. The center also provides university students with observation, participation, research, and similar educational and clinical opportunities. Call the center at 516-5658 for additional information.

Center for Human Origin and Cultural Diversity
 The Center for Human Origin and Cultural Diversity was founded in Fall, 1995 as a joint venture between the Anthropology Department, and the May buye Center (Archive of the African National Congress) at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.  Building on the foundation of anthropological knowledge, the Center will design a K-12 curriculum.  Currently, no comprehensive anthropology curriculum exists in the U.S.  Programs are also offered in conjunction with the Gerontology Program and the Missouri Historical Society.

Center for the Humanities
The Center provides visibility and focus for humanities activities at UM‑St. Louis and attracts and channels resources for support of interdisciplinary humanistic inquiry. The Center sponsors a variety of conferences, symposia, and lectures. For over a decade, the Center has sponsored an annual conference titled "What is a City?" that examines the structure and social environment of cities and their effects on social and cultural life.  The Center sponsors the Monday Noon Cultural Series, which features a variety of humanities and arts presentations and performances. The Center also supports and coordinates the poetry and short story series, which showcases authors reading their original works. In addition, the Center houses and funds the journal Theory and Society, a refereed, interdisciplinary journal of social theory and practices, published by Kluwer Academic in The Netherlands. The Center disseminates information on the humanities on the Center for Humanities website and promotes development of interdisciplinary outreach programs.

Center for International Studies
The Center for International Studies supports academic programs, seminars, and conferences designed to promote and improve research in international studies, improve methods of teaching international studies in schools and colleges, and encourage an interest in international affairs in the university and area communities. The center's Office of International Student and Scholar Services coordinates and provides services for international students and scholars including admissions, immigration, orientation, nonacademic advising, etc. In addition, the center administers the campus exchange and study abroad programs and disseminates information on study, work, and travel abroad. The center promotes the development of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary courses, assists in staffing courses within individual departments, houses the Joint Center for East Asian Studies of UM‑St. Louis and Washington University, the E. Desmond Lee Global Ethnic Collaborative, the Karakas Family Foundation Alliance for the Advancement of Hellenic Studies, and the Endowed Professorships in African/African-American Studies, Chinese Studies, Greek Studies, international education, Irish Studies, Japanese Studies,  the German Culture Center, and the Greek Culture Center. It conducts seminars that address specific faculty and student needs and interests, sponsors conferences for academic and community audiences, organizes international business development programs, sponsors an International Performing Arts series, issues occasional papers, administers undergraduate certificate programs in Africana studies, East Asian studies, European studies, Greek studies, international business, international studies, and Latin American studies and the Graduate Certificate in International Studies. In addition, the Center serves precollegiate educators statewide through the International Studies Resource Library and operates a comprehensive global education program.

Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
The CTL is a division of the Office of Academic Affairs that promotes student learning by offering programs and resources that support effective teaching and learning at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  Orientations, workshops, and seminars on research and teaching are designed to support the professional development of faculty (full-time and part-time), academic leaders, graduate students, Teaching Assistants, and undergraduate students who work in tutoring capacities.

The CTL co-sponsors programs with other campus units to augment the orientation programs, introduce technology supports for teaching and learning, and  create campus conversations about timely initiatives such as student and civic engagement. Major CTL programs include:

The CTL coordinates two UM System initiatives on campus, the New Faculty Teaching Scholars Program and the Leadership Development Program. It supports the Five-Year Program Reviews of academic units and centers and sponsors the implementation of the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) in odd-numbered spring semesters.  Mid-semester online feedback for courses and confidential classroom consultations  are available each semester as is  instructional design support for faculty developing new and online courses. Additional information and current program offerings are available at the CTL website.

E. Desmond Lee Technology and Learning Center (TLC)
The TLC models a technology enriched classroom where theories and ideas are put into practice.  The TLC is a resource for the community.  Everyone is welcome to use the facility. Graduate students working in the center focus on research and assist in the development of effective uses of technology learning environments.

Information Technology Services
Information Technology Services provides students, faculty, and staff with an integrated array of voice, video, and data services, including consultation, programming, training and operational support.

Eleven Smart classrooms provide network-attached computers at each student station as well as an instructor station.  High-resolution projectors and video/audio systems complete these facilities.  There are also more than fifty media-enhanced lecture halls/classrooms with instructor stations as well as projection systems. These Technology Enhanced classrooms provide faculty with electronic blackboards for lecture notes, and software demonstrations. Complementing these facilities are student computer laboratories in the Social Sciences Building, Thomas Jefferson Library, Benton Hall, and South Campus Computer Building where consultants are available to assist students with general operation and troubleshooting needs.

KWMU
90.7 KWMU-FM, is the 100,000‑watt public radio station of the University of Missouri‑St. Louis and National Public Radio/ Public Radio International affiliate. The professionally staffed station broadcasts news, talk, and entertainment 24 hours a day. KWMU provides programming that is responsive to the needs of the community. In training students who plan to pursue broadcast careers, KWMU augments the educational and training function of the university.

Regional Center for Education and Work
The Center initiates, promotes and supports programs that foster cooperation and information sharing among business, labor, social service and education. The Center collaborates with other federal, state, and local entities in workforce development activities.  It also serves as a resource to education, school counseling, labor force training and social service providers. For further information consult the Regional Center for Education and Work Home Page.

The Faculty Resource Center (FRC)
The Faculty Resource Center (FRC), provides enhanced technical support to faculty, TA’s, graduate students and support staff wishing to integrate technology into course content. These support resources include assistance in development of web-based material, assistance with online courses; the integration of video or graphics into course materials; training in the use of various instructional technologies; and access to networked workstations with software and media capabilities.. For more information, please visit the Faculty Resource Center website at: or call (314) 516-6704

My Gateway
 The My Gateway Site provides on-line course materials as well as many other features such as: class email, discussion forums, virtual chat, and address book, calendar, and task list. From this web site, you can access course and organizational information; find tools to communicate with students, professors and colleagues; link to Registrar's grades and schedules; and access links to other campus services.

The On-Line Testing Center in the South Campus
The On-Line Testing Center in the South Campus Computer Building, Room 200, provides new line computer-based testing services.  The center is staffed seven days a week, offering both midday and evening hours, by a proctor that assists the students in getting started with examinations and provides scheduling support.

The Technology Support Center
 211 Lucas Hall (516-6034) is available for students, faculty, and staff who have general questions regarding their accounts or use of campus resources. The Web office provides assistance for faculty and staff in developing Web pages.

University Eye Center
Located on the South Campus, the center is open to the public as well as to faculty, staff, and students of the university. Its goal is to provide patients with high‑quality vision care and optometry students with diverse educational opportunities. The College also operates the Optometric Center, a comprehensive optometric eye care facility in the Central West End of the city of St. Louis, the East St. Louis Eye Center, operated by the University of Missouri‑St. Louis College of Optometry in cooperation with the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and Harvester Eye Care in Saint Charles. For further information consult the Center for Eye Care Home Page.