The nation's business and economic researchers have discovered something at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business that thousands of Hoosiers already knew.

IN Context magazine, produced by the Indiana Business Research Center, is a good source of information about the Indiana economy within the context of the state and nation. The bimonthly publication received the top award from the Association for University Business and Economic Research at its fall conference in New Orleans.

AUBER is the professional association of business and economic research organizations in public and private universities in the United States, Canada and Malaysia.

The Indiana Department of Commerce is a partner in the publication, which is read in print or online by thousands of state business executives, legislators, policymakers, agency heads, regional commerce directors, educators and others. IDOC, which awarded the center a $1 million grant to support a wide range of activities over two years, also is a partner in StatsIndiana (http://www.stats.indiana.edu/), an informational Web site that draws more than 40,000 separate users each month.

"Certainly we value our partnership with the IBRC, and we think this is a recognition of the strength of our partnership," said Dennis Paramore, IDOC director of research and technology. "We look forward to future success with this and other initiatives between our two organizations."

Jerry Conover, IBRC director, added, "Communicating the useful insights contained in complex data and analyses is IBRC's forte, and we're delighted to place the AUBER award on IN Context's wall of national recognition." IN Context has received national awards twice in the last three years.

"IN Context gives us a chance to highlight interesting trends and patterns in the economic life of Indiana, things people wouldn't notice if there weren't someone to interpret the information," Conover added. "This award also recognizes the work done by editor Carol Rogers and managing editor Rachel Justis to present articles written by various authors in effective and visually interesting ways."

At the AUBER conference, Conover was elected as the organization's vice president. He came to IU in July after leading the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at Northern Arizona University.

The publication can be read online free of charge at http://www.incontext.indiana.edu/. It also is available by mail through a paid subscription. For more information, contact IBRC at 812-855-5507 or 317-274-2979 or context@indiana.edu.