A Brief History of the Center

In 2004, a collaborative effort through the Dean’s office of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Oklahoma between the Psychology and Anthropology departments formed the initial structure of The Center for Applied Social Research (CASR). Their goal was to create a multi-disciplinary, applied research center that encompassed many of the individual departments in the College of Arts and Science. They were charged with creating a center that fostered collaborative research and facilitated the integration of different perspectives in solving complex problems.

The mission of the Center is to assist local communities, private businesses and governmental agencies in solving their multi-faceted problems by applying advanced concepts and methods in the social sciences. CASR focuses on critical, emerging issues that influence institutional policies and practices, bringing to bear on these issues an interdisciplinary perspective, which draws upon the best work currently being done in the various fields of the social sciences. CASR seeks to apply an action research approach that both enhances our basic understanding of human social behavior and provides practical solutions to real-world problems in a variety of settings.

Since its inception, CASR has continued to grow in stature and funding. The University has demonstrated a commitment to the center by providing space for it at the new research park. In December of 2006, CASR will be moving to a brand new, state of the art, 10,000 sf facility located on the University of Oklahoma campus. This new facility will provide office space for 60 people, several data collection rooms, conference rooms with audio and video teleconferencing capabilities, phone bank training rooms, computer labs, and an on-site IT office.

Located halfway between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts at the boundary between the eastern woodlands and the vast western prairie, the university is a gathering place for students and scholars from across the nation and around the globe. Students are attracted primarily by the high quality of the faculty and academic programs. The relatively low costs of attending the university add to OU’s international appeal. Scholars are attracted by the outstanding research facilities and unique resources of the university, but they also appreciate the mild Oklahoma climate, the varied cultural environment and the friendly, informal atmosphere of the university community.