**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
AAPI Data Breaks New Ground, Joining UC Berkeley’s Asian American Research Center
This new transformative partnership marks a major milestone in advancing research and policy for Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander communities across the country
BERKELEY, CA, September 16, 2024 – AAPI Data, a leading national research and policy organization, announced today its new affiliation with the Asian American Research Center (AARC) and the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI) at the University of California, Berkeley. This move marks a major new chapter for the organization and its efforts to advance research insights and enduring solutions for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities.
Founded in 2013 by political scientist and professor Karthick Ramakrishnan, AAPI Data has emerged as a leading force in leveraging social science insights to shape accurate narratives and inform policy changes that uplift AANHPI communities. AAPI Data’s data-driven and community-informed approach have made it an essential resource for media outlets and policy leaders seeking to better understand and address the diverse needs of AANHPI communities.
The integration of AAPI Data into AARC at UC Berkeley aligns seamlessly with both organizations’ missions to advance trusted research and community engagement that improve public understanding of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
“Joining the Asian American Research Center at UC Berkeley represents a pivotal development in our organization’s 11-year history,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, executive director of AAPI Data and Researcher at UC Berkeley. “We are excited to extend the impact and reach of UC Berkeley’s storied history in ethnic studies, community engagement, and policy-relevant research. This partnership considerably strengthens our efforts to ensure that AANHPI communities are better understood, recognized and prioritized.”
Colleen Lye, Chair of the Asian American Research Center at UC Berkeley, welcomed the collaboration stating, “The addition of AAPI Data to the Asian American Research Center is a significant development for both the Center and the broader UC Berkeley community. AAPI Data’s cutting-edge data and research insights on AANHPI communities will be a transformative asset, fueling our commitment to innovative research and public impact. We are excited to embark on this collaboration together, which promises to advance equality and impact through greater public understanding.”
Stephen Small, Director of the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues at UC Berkeley remarked, “We are thrilled to welcome AAPI Data as our newest initiative at the Institute. By integrating AAPI Data’s expertise into our research framework, this collaboration enriches our interdisciplinary approach to social change, enhancing our ability to address pressing societal challenges and issues with precision and depth.”
AAPI Data’s affiliation with the Asian American Research Center builds on UC Berkeley’s outstanding work in the development of ethnic studies and as a national leader in policy and social impact. AAPI Data seeks to achieve its goals in two major ways: by bringing in key partnerships with policy, community, and media organizations, and by building strong collaborations with researchers, schools and centers that aim to build research and community partnerships that have lasting public impact.
Learn more about AAPI Data (aapidata.com/about) and the Asian American Research Center at UC Berkeley (aarc.berkeley.edu).
Media Contact:
Nicholas Turton
Director of Communications
AAPI Data | press@aapidata.com
About AAPI Data
AAPI Data is a leading national research and policy organization producing accurate data to support community narratives that drive action toward enduring solutions for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. Through its Data-Narrative-Action framework, AAPI Data produces influential data and research that drive policy changes and community empowerment. Learn more at aapidata.com.
About the Asian American Research Center at UC Berkeley
Launched in 2020, the Asian American Research Center at UC Berkeley is a preeminent research center for the study of Asian Americans/Asian diasporas in national, hemispheric, and global contexts. It brings together a vibrant, innovative, and dynamic assemblage of scholars, researchers, policy-makers, community organizers, and cultural producers to address a multiplicity of interests and concerns. The Center works to raise public awareness of Asian American/diaspora issues and advance cutting-edge research, develop innovative curricula, and promote community-campus engagement. Learn more about the Center at aarc.berkeley.edu.
About the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues at UC Berkeley
Founded in 2009 by merging the Institute for the Study of Social Change and the Survey Research Center, the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues (ISSI) provides an intellectual home for quantitative and qualitative interdisciplinary research on societal issues. ISSI’s research mandate is to focus on the wide array of issues that permeate public debate, politics, and policy in societies throughout the world. Attention is given to the multiple ways that the economy; the social divisions of race, class, and gender; and the environment impact various societies. Learn more about the Institute at issi.berkeley.edu/.