Our History

The Regional Research Institute opened on September 1, 1965. Professor William H. Miernyk, a regional economist trained at Harvard, came to West Virginia University as founding Director. His pioneering research on input-output modeling rapidly brought the Institute international prominence in regional economics and the new multidisciplinary field of regional science. The orientation he established is at the heart of the Institute today:

The Regional Research Institute exists for scholarly research. Scholars define the research projects, and scholars evaluate the proposals and results. The overall objective is to increase knowledge through publication of journal articles and books. Graduate students are an integral part of the Institute. As their educations progress, so do their roles on research projects. They learn research skills, conduct and publish research, and present papers at conferences in the U.S. and worldwide. The scope of the Institute extends beyond the economic and social problems of Appalachia to similar regions elsewhere. It incorporates an enduring focus on quantitative methods for studying regions and evaluating policy directions. The Institute encourages and nurtures international and multidisciplinary research. It organizes conferences and seminars, initiates research activities, creates research opportunities abroad, and hosts visiting scholars.