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Research & Projects
The Border Studies Archive supports a range of original, interdisciplinary research initiatives led by faculty, students, and community partners. These projects engage pressing regional issues—such as health disparities, infrastructure access, environmental risk, and cultural documentation—through applied, data-informed methods grounded in the lived realities of the U.S.–Mexico border region.
Transforming Border Research into Action
The Regional Impact Archive Initiative (RIAI) is a policy-engaged research platform housed within the Border Studies Archive. RIAI bridges academic inquiry and applied strategy by converting border-focused research into accessible tools that support public planning, equitable policy, and community resilience across South Texas.
Through community and institutional partnerships, as well as interdisciplinary collaborations, the initiative organizes and mobilizes data related to health, enviromental risk, economic development, legal equity, and other policy-relevant issues. RIAI equips institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies with actionable insights that respond to the unique challenges—and strengths—of the U.S.–Mexico borderlands.