For proof that the social sciences can be highly quantifiable, look no further than the American Political Reform and Innovation Lab, created by political science professor Dr. Timothy LaPira to complement his work studying the behaviors of the political elite.
“Like so much of political science, we are really dedicated to the objective, nonpartisan study of politics,” LaPira said. “The mission of the lab is to turn what we observe into objective data that we can analyze through a nonpartisan lens and inform the public about.”
The work of the APRILab is also highly topical, since political reform and innovation are at the forefront of many engaged citizens’ minds. LaPira has created the lab to respond to those feelings.
“Instead of simply proposing reforms that are often hidden agendas to improve my party or your party’s chances, what we want to do is put forth evidence-based political reform, or at least evidence behind the justification for adopting new institutional reform,” LaPira said.
According to its website, the APRILab “aims to mentor students to build research and analysis skills and to communicate innovative ideas with the world.”
One of those student researchers is Riley Miller, a second-year master’s degree candidate studying Communication and Advocacy with a concentration in Strategic Communication. Through her graduate assistantship, she serves as lab manager for the APRILab.
For the eight research assistants working in the lab, day-to-day operations include conducting research, developing web content, aiding in grant proposals and curating various public-facing materials.
“The research we do at the APRILab has the potential to directly and positively impact real-world problems,” Miller said. The lab, which can be used by anyone from students to political scientists, political elites and other experts, can help researchers “make informed recommendations on how to improve the way our government operates.”
The APRILab’s flagship program, Congress and Its Experts, is a database, published in 2018, that chronicles the salaries and job responsibilities for every congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1994 to 2013. LaPira initially worked with counterparts at the University of Michigan to create the existing research and now supervises the continued efforts carried out by students in the APRILab.
The lab has extended the data set to include staffers in committee and party leadership offices in both the House and the Senate, adding tremendous value to the project.
Essentially, researchers hoped to determine “what their job responsibilities were and how that has changed over time,” LaPira said.
But their project research had limitations. “What we [at the APRILab] have been doing in the past three years is taking a step back, expanding the number of offices.”
Now, LaPira says, the APRILab’s research encompasses personal offices as well as member offices, committee offices, and party leadership offices in the House and Senate dating to the 1980s.
“We’ll be able to track not just how members of Congress allocate their resources, but also what issues they have their staff focus on, and how those change over time,” he said.
To achieve this, the APRILab’s researchers must conduct painstakingly detailed, digital archiving and data processing to create a usable, public-good database.
Ian Stummer, a senior Political Science major, has worked in the lab as a research assistant since Spring 2024.
“I took Dr. LaPira’s Interest Groups and Public Policy class which inspired me to think more about our government institutions, and how they can be improved to make our democracy stronger,” he said. “Being part of the work at the APRILab has really shown me the value of analytical and research skills. I hope to build on these skills, so I can eventually apply them in my career.”
JMU’s status as an R2 research institution inspires organizations like the APRILab to increase their impact. The benefits of student research go hand in hand with the betterment of the university.
“This research gives us the opportunity to collaborate with universities across the country, which strengthens our relationships, expands our influence and builds our reputation,” Miller said.
LaPira notes that the best way to learn about a subject is to “go knee-deep in data.”
Stummer agrees.
“Student research gives us the chance to make a real impact while applying the knowledge we learn in class. It’s good — both for the fields we study and our own academic experience,” he said.
Although housed in Miller Hall and focused on political science efforts, the APRILab hosts students from various disciplines, providing a skill set that includes psychology, computer information systems, secondary education, public administration, computer science and English.
“The lab teaches students how to conduct research, work as a team, manage their time between academics and employment, and gain professional development experience while still in school,” Miller said. “It goes beyond political science; it’s truly a community.”
