Our Mission

Our mission is to improve public policy in Oregon and beyond through independent, objective, nonpartisan policy analysis conducted by OSU students on major social, economic, ecological, and political issues. To accomplish this, we will draw upon the extensive research capacity of Oregon State University.

Working with OPAL "has prepared me for many facets of professional life - from communicating and working with a team to building relationships and connections with community leaders and practitioners.”
--- Andrew Spaeth, Forest Program Associate at Sustainable Northwest and OPAL Alumnus

Gain Transferable Skills

Work with community partners on real world problems:

  • Gain experience using both qualitative and quantitative research methods
  • Practice building and conducting surveys and interviews
  • Do in-depth data analysis to arrive at conclusions for policy questions
  • Write and publish policy briefs and papers

Previous OPAL Research Topics

  • Social Services
  • Climate Change
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement
  • LGBTQ+ Communities
  • Renewable Energy
  • Rural Development
  • Transportation

Please see the "Projects" link for further information.

Student Research Roles and Titles

  • OPAL Researcher -- as funding is available, some graduate students receive assistantships that
    provide tuition and a stipend. 
  • OPAL Associate -- OSU School of Public Policy graduate students, recent graduates, and/or other graduate
    students from across campus sometimes volunteer or receive hourly wages to complete OPAL projects.
  • OPAL Intern -- Undergraduate students, paid or unpaid, work on OPAL research projects.

Find Out About New Opportunities

If you are interested in participating in OPAL projects as a student researcher, associate or intern, please contact Mark Edwards.