Polis Center joins IUPUI’s School of Informatics and Computing

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) – The Polis Center is joining the School of Informatics and Computing at IUPUI. The university says the move strengthens it as a leader in the practical use of advanced technologies and place-based analysis to improve communities.

IUPUI says the move will enhance its application of technology for healthier and more resilient communities and extends its service to Indianapolis and central Indiana.

“Polis demonstrates IUPUI’s deep commitment to the community,” said IUPUI Chancellor Nasser Paydar. “The center fits well with the School of Informatics and Computing’s mission to use information and technology to address social needs. This move is a natural and logical progression of the work of both units, reflecting the convergence of technology and community needs and the search for creative, innovative solutions to real-world problems.”

IUPUI says aligning the center with the School of Informatics and Computing creates a direct connection to current and emerging fields in bioinformatics, data science, informatics and health information management.

The Polis Center works with geospatial technologies and location-based analysis. Most recently, IUPUI says the center collaborated on the development of the Coronavirus Data Hub, which tracks data at the county and neighborhood levels on the risk, outcomes, impact, disparities and inequities of COVID-19.

IUPUI says the center will remain community-facing and will collaborate with organizations to define, measure and improve community health, well-being and resiliency. It will continue its practice of using its community research and information infrastructure to inform policy- and decision-making.

The transition was effective earlier this month.