Research Papers
The evidence behind the arguments
Peer-reviewed and working papers from across our programs. All open-access. All built to be used.
What We Publish
Research across the domains where CMRU operates.
Innovation Studies
How innovation ecosystems form, grow, and sustain themselves. Empirical work on what actually drives technological and social progress in regional contexts.
Policy Analysis
Rigorous evaluation of existing and proposed policies around technology, workforce, and infrastructure. What works, what does not, and why.
Civic Tech Evaluations
Assessment of technology deployments in public and civic settings. Measuring outcomes, not just outputs.
Regional Economics
Data-driven analysis of Midwest economic systems, talent flows, investment patterns, and growth opportunities.
Open Access, Always
If we publish it, you can read it. No paywalls, no gatekeeping.
HTML + PDF
Every paper available in both formats. Read online or download for offline use.
Companion Datasets
Where possible, we publish the underlying data alongside each paper.
No Paywalls
All CMRU research is free to read, share, and build on. Period.
Papers
Our published research.
Research papers in progress
Our first papers are currently under development and peer review. Check back soon or subscribe for updates.
Our Methodology
How we approach research.
We use mixed methods: quantitative analysis paired with qualitative fieldwork. Every paper includes a clear methodology section, and we publish our analysis code and datasets whenever feasible.
We pursue external peer review for all major publications. Working papers are clearly labeled as such. We correct errors publicly and transparently.
Our goal is research that is rigorous enough for academics and useful enough for practitioners. If a finding cannot be explained in plain language, we have not finished the work.
Cite Our Work
All CMRU research is published under Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY).
You are free to share, adapt, and build on our research for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you provide appropriate attribution. Each paper includes a recommended citation format.
If you use our work, we would love to hear about it. Not required, but always appreciated.
Collaborate With Us
We partner with researchers, institutions, and organizations on projects that align with our mission. If you have a research question worth pursuing together, let us know.
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