The MIT Political Experiments Research Lab (MIT-PERL) was created in Fall 2010. PERL allows researchers in the MIT Political Science Department to conduct experiments on campus, behavioral laboratories, off site at community centers, and over the internet, all using state of the art software and cutting edge research methodology.
Directed by Professor Adam Berinsky and staffed by graduate and undergraduate students, PERL helps scholars through each stage of the process of running experiments – from designing experiments to recruiting subjects and conducting studies. The Lab provides a flexible infrastructure for social scientists interested in running experiments, making it possible for faculty and graduate students to run experiments at minimal cost.
Over the course of five years, PERL has funded a wide range of activities in the department. These include the annual graduate Omnibus survey through SSI, the monthly PERL seminar series, the bi-annual PORTL graduate course on survey methodology, and many other smaller efforts. As a result of these activities, participants have been able to enhance their careers in a variety of ways. Read more about what we have done at MIT PERL here.