Impact Area

This digital collection from University Libraries uses maps to explore the region’s LGBTQ communities from the end of World War II in 1945 through the passage of St. Louis’ first gay and lesbian-inclusive civil rights ordinance in 1992. The project aims to document the history of a people whose sexual and gender nonconformity has often meant that their stories have gone unheard, unrecorded, un-archived, and unremarked upon.

The Washington University in St. Louis ENDURE research program prepares undergraduates from diverse backgrounds for neuroscience PhD programs. The program combines outstanding research training, a rigorous curriculum and an empowering support system so participants thrive on their path to graduate school and beyond.

The St. Louis Area Brain Bee (SLABB) is an annual event for high school students that are interested in the brain and neuroscience led by WashU Arts & Sciences. Demonstrations, panels, and material come from Brain Facts, a book produced by the Society for Neuroscience. SLABB pays for the winner to compete in the US National Brain Bee competition.

Cancer Research Inspiring Future Scientists Program (CRISPr) provides St. Louis area high school students an entry into academic research. Participants receive a generous stipend, mentorship, training, and access to a world-class community and environment. No previous research experience is required. Students from historically underrepresented backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

To connect with communities locally and globally, the Brown School created Open Classroom – a series of free, one-hour webinars on a wide range of social work, public health, and social policy topics. The Open Classroom library now includes more than 250 programs, with new webinars offered every month.

The Center for the Literary Arts is a transformational hub for creative writing and translation, as well as different forms of literary arts and creative practice across Washington University and the St. Louis community. As an initiative of the Arts & Sciences Strategic Plan, the Center explores all the ways in which literary art and creative practice can change the world around us. It seeks to unite communities within and beyond academia by reimagining vital literary art-making for the 21st century locally and globally.

The Washington University in St. Louis Office of Technology Management (OTM) and BioGenerator are proud to sponsor the Venture Fellows Program for Postdocs. The Venture Fellows Program is currently available to Washington University postdoctoral researchers and offers an intensive 6-month curriculum that provides experiential learning in venture capital investing and company creation, as participating Fellows work alongside entrepreneurs, investors, and faculty in the St. Louis ecosystem. In addition, the program offers exposure to biotech startups, with hands-on training to develop capabilities across the spectrum from deal flow generation to exit opportunity evaluation.  

The Asylum Support Initiative is a project that aims to provide forensic medical and psychological evaluations for those seeking asylum in the St. Louis area. These evaluations will help provide additional evidence and can subsequently help strengthen asylum applications. The initiative will provide a streamlined process of conducting forensic evaluations for asylum applications by directly connecting health care professionals trained in conducting evaluations to local asylum cases.

The Washington University Bridge to Health Program provides additional services to patients who inject drugs and are admitted to the hospital with invasive infections. Patients in the program have free access to health coaches, mental health services, clinical case management, transportation and medication assistance (if eligible) and connection to care after treatment of the infection is completed. The program has a team of people and additional resources to help individuals for several weeks.

Emily Rauh Pulitzer established an endowment in 2004 to support joint collaborative projects between the Sam Fox School and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation that enhance the creative life of St. Louis. This endowment has spurred a variety of collaborative endeavors including Design openings, an initiative open to Sam Fox School faculty that supports art and design projects and installations in the Grand Center Arts District.