Our Mission

The Trade War Lab at the University of Kansas is redefining how we understand global conflict through the lens of trade. We combine rigorous, data-driven analysis with a commitment to mentoring the next generation of policy thinkers. Our focus begins where most coverage ends, on the ground, with the firms, communities, and regions most directly impacted by economic disruption.

Our core mission is twofold:

1. Decoding the U.S.-China Trade War from the bottom up, mapping how global policy reverberates through local economies and communities.

2. Training high-impact researchers, undergraduate and graduate students working in tight, collaborative teams alongside faculty mentors.

We operate from the American heartland, a frontline of the tariff era. Leveraging deep ties with industry partners and regional trade networks, we generate research that is both academically rigorous and policy-relevant.

Our work has reached global audiences through outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Foreign Policy, and NPR. But our impact begins here by giving students the tools to ask hard questions, trace real consequences, and lead with clarity in a world shaped by conflict and interdependence