The Institute organizes and hosts annual research conferences, providing opportunities for international experts from across disciples to address specific research topics related to handedness.

Proceedings of the Institute's Research Conferences will be published and available for sale. Other publications, including educational posters, will also soon be available from the Institute.

Each year, the Institute invites a senior researcher (as Research Fellow) and a graduate student or professional (as Intern) to to conduct collaborative research for a period of 1 to 3 months. Interns may alternatively help prepare educational materials. As funding allows, travel expenses and stipends will be provided for both programs.

The Institute provides scholarly information on issues related to handedness. HRI's Action Campaign focuses on eradicating three global educational problems: the forced switching of left-handed childrens' hand preference, the improper teaching of left-handed writing, and the use of biased school desks. Additional resources include a series of topical articles on handedness, K-12 educational materials, educational posters, a Homework Help guide, and a Guide to Research. Translation into multiple languages and easy-to-print formats help individuals obtain accurate information they can use in their daily lives, whether they be parent, teacher, employer, student, professional, or public policy maker.

HRI is represented regionally by bureaus in Africa (HRI Lusaka Bureau, ZAMBIA), Europe (HRI Porto Bureau, PORTUGAL), and Asia (HRI Pune Bureau, INDIA). Current collaborative education projects include the preparation of ecuational materials and supplimental teacher training manuals. Current collaborative research projects include assessing the impact of teacher training with before and after comparative research. As funding allows, the Institute will continue to establish bureaus internationally, in collaboration with colleages in other countries. International offices greatly enhance the Institute's ability to conduct research, train graduate students, and provide public education internationally.

Because Internet publishing is the primary mode of communication to a global audience, the Institute plans to translate HRI's printable educational material into the ten most prevelant online languages:  English, Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish, Korean, Italian, French, Portuguese, and Russian. Translations will become available as funding allows.

Scientific communication has historically been one-way: specialist to non-specialist. But "non-specialists" often know things that specialists do not. Thus, the Institute introduces a 2-way communication format. Professionals and the public are invited to submit comments and observations to the Institute. All comments are reviewed, and new information and relevant comments will be communicated to researchers via conference communiqués and Internet post, thereby giving knowledgable individuals a voice in developing educational materials and setting research agendas. To read or submit general comments about left-handedness, see the gauche! Left-Handers in Society site, edited by HRI director Dr. M.K. Holder since 1996.

Established media (newspapers, television, radio, magazines) provide the widest range of information distribution. The Institute's Director regularly works with established media to correct common misconceptions, to raise awareness of issues of public concern, and to disseminate accurate information about handedness.

Handedness Research Institute
Hillcrest Psychology Research Center
674 East Cottage Grove Avenue, Suite 222
Bloomington, IN 47408  USA
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