New research grants set to guide policy on artificial intelligence, evaluate Illinois economic development programs
The Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) has announced two new Research Scholar Initiative (RSI) awards for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. Designed to support collaborative research across the University of Illinois System, the RSI program promotes the development of data-driven models to inform public policy and strengthen community engagement. This year’s funded projects will examine the state’s needs for AI infrastructure and education, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of Illinois’s economic development investments.
Principal investigators Rick Funderburg, associate professor of public management and policy at UIS; Kerry Fang, associate professor of urban and regional planning at Illinois; and David Merriman, Stukel Presidential Professor of public policy, management, and analytics at UIC, will evaluate the best use of Illinois’s scarce economic development resources given shifting patterns of business locations.
This new research project will analyze how employment centers in the greater Chicago area have changed in location and function between 2019 and 2024, driven by trends like remote work and suburban growth. By examining these changes, the study aims to understand how post-pandemic dynamics are reshaping the region’s economic geography. The project supports the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s ON TO 2050 regional comprehensive plan and will provide policymakers with data-driven insights to inform more effective and equitable housing, tax, workforce, and transportation strategies.
“The state of Illinois and its local governments spend over $3 billion a year on place-based incentives, and we need to reassess whether these tools still deliver results in today’s rapidly changing economic landscape,” said Funderburg.
Principal investigators Jeremy Riel, visiting assistant professor of educational psychology at UIC, and Alvin Chin, research scientist at Discovery Partners Institute (DPI), will lead the other RSI, which will generate timely evidence to inform policy decisions related to AI.
This initiative will help shape Illinois’ response to the rapid rise of Generative AI by gathering stakeholder insights and delivering targeted education to policymakers. The project will focus on two key areas: collecting data on AI infrastructure and education needs, and providing clear, accessible information about AI’s implications to legislators. As AI transforms sectors like healthcare, finance, education, and agriculture, this work aims to ensure Illinois builds a strong, responsible foundation for innovation, workforce development, and long-term technological leadership.
“We aim to position Illinois as a national leader in responsible AI policy by accelerating the development of nonpartisan, evidence-based guidance for state decision-makers,” said Riel.
