About the Lab

The Human Trafficking Research Lab (HTRL) at Millikin University was established in 2018 to transform undergraduate performance learning projects into cutting edge human trafficking research. The HTRL team at Millikin University conducts policy relevant research on human trafficking within the United States and internationally. We are the only undergraduate research lab focused on human trafficking in the state of Illinois and one of a handful in the entire United States, making this applied research experience truly unique for Millikin students.

Through the Human Trafficking Research Lab, we formulate human trafficking research at Millikin by training students to collect, analyze, and write up data results and disseminate these findings to the academic and local community. At Millikin University, our mission is to prepare students for professional success, democratic citizenship in a global environment, and a personal life of meaning and value and the HTRL@Millikin builds on this mission and provides practical hands-on experience with applied research for our students.

Millikin University is a private four-year university located in Decatur, Illinois nationally recognized for its emphasis on Performance learning. When James Millikin founded Millikin University in 1901, his approach to education was unique. It combined theory and practice, requiring students to make connections for their learning inside and outside of the classroom. Today, Millikin takes this approach one step further with what we call Performance Learning. Our students learn through real-world projects that reinforce classroom experiences, help develop practical skills, and express the University's responsibility to the community. Our emphasis on performance learning means that we are preparing students for life beyond Millikin and the Human Trafficking Research Lab builds on this goal by providing students with an opportunity to conduct research and disseminate real research that can impact our community.