The Institute is a voice for sound political thought, a facilitator of converging views, and an educator of the next generation of public policy leaders. The Institute focuses its attention on the following:

Research Paper Collage

Policy Research

The Institute partners with respected and accomplished UVU faculty and students to author public policy papers focused on topics important to Utah public policy.

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2024 Cohort of UVU Legislative Interns at the Capitol Building

Internships

The Herbert Public Policy Internship Program sponsors student interns in the Utah State Legislature, in Washington, D.C., and in-house at UVU.

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Gary Herbert with Mike Pence and Astrid Tuminez at a Herbert Institute Event

Events

Policymakers and public service leaders will be invited to speak on campus and interact with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

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UVU Seal with Mountains Overlooking Campus

Scholarships

Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Herbert Institute awards scholarships to students with an interest in public service.

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Voter Stickers
Student Voter Guide

Student Voter Guide

Herbert Institute Interns have created this Voter Guide to help inform students about candidates and issues important to students. Use your voice and make a difference!

Utah State Capitol
Annual Report

2023 Annual Report

2023 was a year of firsts at the Herbert Institute. Read about all we accomplished in our first year as an academic institution at UVU!

 

Combating AI Deepfakes in Utah Elections

The Gary R. Herbert Institute for Public Policy and the Center for National Security Studies (CNSS) at Utah Valley University (UVU) announced a partnership with Provo start-up SureMark Digital Identity Services (SureMark™ Digital) launching a pilot project that will work to combat deepfake AI in elections.

Students and faculty with the Herbert Institute and CNSS will follow the pilot program evaluating the impact AI deepfakes may have on Utah’s elections. The pilot will run July 2024 until the winning candidates are sworn into office in January 2025, and include academic panels and white papers.

 

More Information

Herbert Institute in the News

 

Robert Santos

U.S. Census Bureau director tells UVU students what he learned from 9/11

Sept. 11, 2024 — Robert Santos tells students that accurate data may be an unsung protector of democracy at Herbert Institute event.

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Cartoon style image with news papers floating over a smart phone.

‘Elections Project’ will fight political misinformation with digital identity verification

July 10, 2024A new project out of Utah Valley University aims to undermine politically motivated deepfakes and the misinformation they spread.

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Governor Herbert smiling in a crowd

Will Utah lead the way in combating election deepfakes?

July 9, 2024 — A new pilot program helps candidates authenticate digital identities amid rise of AI.

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2024 Election Buttons

Commentary: This primary election season, recognize that secure elections require public trust

June 3, 2024 — The power of average voters to choose their leaders through secure elections that evoke public confidence is what gives legitimacy to our self-governing republic.

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