The Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy (ISTPP) is a nonpartisan, interdisciplinary public policy research institute. The Institute builds research teams from various academic disciplines and institutions to examine pressing and complex issues related to science and technology to help inform difficult public policy questions. ISTPP examines how science and technology are framed and communicated to decision makers and the public and the circumstances under which that science and technology information becomes a meaningful part of the policy process. ISTPP then communicates its research-based findings to the public and decision makers. The Institute conducts basic and applied interdisciplinary research in four substantive areas: Environment and Natural Resources Policy, Emerging Technologies Policy, Health Policy, and Infrastructure and Built Environment Policy. ISTPP provides expertise in conducting the following types of research: surveys of the public about their attitudes, risk perceptions and preferred policies; in-depth interviews of stakeholders about their communication patterns, decision processes and risk profiles; focus groups; and analysis of existing policy and regulatory processes related to policy options.