Previously Incubated

The Global Research Institute’s roots go back to 2003, when two students approached professors Mike Tierney and Sue Peterson with questions about how research is applied beyond the university.

These student questions became two research projects, led by the students in collaboration with faculty and external practitioners: TRIP (Teaching, Research, and International Policy) and AidData. Over the next 20 years GRI supported dozens of additional student / faculty research teams across a range of disciplines, catalyzing over $100 million in external funding, producing peer reviewed research in top national journals, and driving insights used by governments, non-profits, and community partners.

The work of the original GRI projects continues, now spun out to new homes in the university. They continue to produce high-quality applied research that shape policy and practice.

Learn more about GRI's previous research portfolio below.

American Bosnian Collaboration
Bringing together W&M and Bosnian students to foster cross-cultural understanding and work towards positive change for the youth of Bosnia.
Africa Research Center
Addressing some of the biggest development challenges facing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including digital and spatial inequality, armed conflict, and education.
AidData
AidData uses rigorous methods, cutting-edge tools, and granular data on international development to answer the question: who is doing what, where, for whom, and to what effect?
Digital Inclusion & Governance
Conducting rigorous, policy-relevant research on the impact of digital technologies on society, politics, and the economy.
DisinfoLab
The country's first undergraduate-led mis/disinformation think tank and software incubator, committed to making disinformation scholarship accessible to everyone.
Ignite Global Health
Optimizing health investments in resource-limited settings to inform public health decisions.
International Justice Lab
Leading collaborative research on human rights, transitional justice, and international law and courts.
NukeLab
Applying cutting-edge social science theory and methods to pressing policy questions in nuclear security, proliferation, and deterrence.
Project on International Peace & Security
A premier undergraduate think tank bridging the gap between the academic and foreign policy communities, now sponsored by the Robert M. Gates Initiative in American Statecraft.
Teaching, Research & International Policy
Gathering data on the discipline of International Relations (IR) and its interactions with the public and policymakers.
Wargaming Lab
The Wargaming Lab (WL) is a student-led, crisis simulation-focused powerhouse. They design and facilitate wargames and games for policy analysis to test existing assumptions and prepare future leaders for real-world challenges.
WMGIC
The William & Mary Global Innovation Challenge (WMGIC) is a student-led organization that hosts premier case competitions. These events champion interdisciplinary collaboration and mobilize young adults to tackle global issues.

Previously Incubated Projects