The Iowa Program for Public Life (IPPL) and the Kettering Foundation have signed a research and learning agreement to help establish a center for Public Life at the University of Iowa. This program will support research, education, and outreach activities that help communities better communicate. UIowa students will be trained to facilitate public discussions and create high quality public information. Kettering's National Issues Forums will serve as a guide for this work.

The IPPL will partner with PATV (Iowa City's public access media channel) in order to help build local capacity for public-based problem solving. Kettering and the IPPL base their work on the shared belief that the health and strength of democracy depends on the active participation of responsible citizens. IPPL Director David Supp-Montgomerie adds, "the purpose of having community conversations is not merely to have another conversation. Our methods are designed to transform the conversation and the participants. A microphone at a city council meeting is not the only, or the best, way for citizens to discuss local issues."

Anyone interested in more information about the IPPL should contact Supp-Montgomerie at david-supp-montgomerie@uiowa.edu.