We invite you to spend a little time getting to know us and learn about what makes UROC tick. UROC is a University of Minnesota research center, but it’s also an important resource for the North Minneapolis community. It’s a gathering place for local residents, an educational and cultural setting, and a living laboratory where the community and University researchers work together to improve the lives of those in urban areas.
The Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center is a unit of the University of Minnesota Office for Public Engagement within the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.
Driven by a need to help others, three recent University of Minnesota graduates led a UROC staff-focused supply drive for community members impacted by the economic hardships of COVID-19 and recent unrest in the wake of the killing of Minneapolis resident George Floyd. Following social distancing protocols, the team raised staff donations to purchase a range of much-needed items from discount retailers.
Seeds to Harvest Service Coalition, a community-based service organization dedicated to responding to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest in North Minneapolis, and the Northside Impact Fund will host volunteer coordination events in UROC's parking lot at 9:45 to 11 a.m. Saturdays through July 25. The volunteer opportunities—whch range from neighborhood clean up to voter registration—are supported by The Urban Impact.
MBA students from the University of Minnesota Carlson School's Carlson Ventures Enterprise (CVE) program have released the results of an opportunity analysis of market conditions for module housing and solar panel assembly in North Minneapolis. Commissioned by UROC's Northside Job Creation Team, the report contains the results of 34 industry interviews and analysis of 31 industry reports and finds that investment in North Minneapolis-based solar opportunities—including solar assembly and installation—could have a substantial job and economic impact.
THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS IS NOW CLOSED.
The University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) seeks proposals from qualified Twin Cities-based photographers for the creation of ten large format (16” x 20”) photo portraits honoring UROC’s research-based partnerships with community members. Each portrait will feature two human foci—a person representing the University and a person representing the community—as well as an object representing the partnership.
Artivist Ta-coumba Aiken brings his distinctive, healing-focused renderings to the UROC Gallery for "N the No." Part exploration, part investigation, the show asks, "What is the truth? How might you live differently if you knew the truth?"