Community-Engaged Research Partnership Development Seed Grant Program Now Open
The Community-Engaged Research, Action, and Partnerships (CERAP) unit has launched their Community-Engaged Research Partnership Development Seed Grant Program! Level 1 awards to provide a maximum of $5,000, while Level 2 awards will provide a maximum of $20,000.
Request for proposals can be…
Registration open for American Statistical Association DataFest 2026
Registration is now open for the American Statistical Association DataFest 2026 at Penn State, to be held March 20-22 at University Park. DataFest, sponsored by the American Statistical Association (ASA) and Celonis, is a weekend-long data analysis competition. Over the course of two intense days,…
Penn State names new distinguished professors for 2026
Penn State's Office of Faculty Affairs has named 14 new distinguished professors for 2026, including:
SSRI Cofunded Faculty Member Daniel Perkins, distinguished professor of youth and family resiliency and policy and founding principal scientist of the Clearinghouse for Military Family…
Consortium on Moral Decision-Making announces grant funding
The Consortium on Moral Decision-Making at Penn State is seeking proposals for Ember Grants to support up-start interdisciplinary research related to the conceptual and empirical study of human morality and ethical decision-making.
The grant program is open to faculty-led teams…
Consortium on Moral Decision-Making Spring Reception
SSRI's Consortium on Moral Decision-Making is hosting a spring kick-off reception Feb. 10, 4 - 5:30 p.m., in the Atrium of Moore Building.
All are welcome to attend, whether they are returning affiliates or new researchers who want to learn more about ethical and moral decision-making through an…
Sustain Penn State to screen ‘Devil Put the Coal in the Ground’ on Feb. 11
Sustain Penn State will host a virtual screening of “Devil Put the Coal in the Ground” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, as part of its Intersections Film Series. The screening will be followed by a moderated panel discussion exploring the connections between coal, economic development, public…
Why Social Science? - Because Psychology Can Help Reduce Police Violence
This month's Why Social Science? post comes from Dr. Kimberly Kahn from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) about how psychology can help us build safer, fairer communities by finding solutions rooted in evidence, empathy, and mutual responsibility.
By…
New Penn State Cores Facility Website
Penn State Research has recently launched a new website for core facilities. These facilities offer critical specialized instrumentation, services, and guidance to researchers and businesses. The goal is to supplement projects with resources and expertise that may be cost-prohibitive for direct…
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to seven diverse projects - 2026
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the results of its most recent seed-funding competition. The center awarded more than $152,000 to seven interdisciplinary research projects representing six colleges.
Each proposal was evaluated by peers…
CTSI to host three-part virtual mini-series on team science
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) will host a three-part virtual mini-series focused on team science, led by Susan Simkins, director of Team Science with Penn State CTSI. Designed for researchers, staff and leaders working in collaborative environments, the series will…
SSRI Launches Mid-Career Research–Practice Partnership Fellows Program
The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) has opened applications for its 2026–2027 Mid-Career Research–Practice Partnership Fellows Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen collaborative research that drives real-world impact.
Supported in part by a William T. Grant…
Sharkey to lead SSRI Grants and Contracts Office
Nicole Sharkey was recently named the Director of Grants and Contracts for the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI).
In this role, Sharkey will lead SSRI’s newly created Grants and Contracts Office, a team of administrators who support researchers with complex, multi-disciplinary proposal…
Fowler named director of statistical data center
Christopher Fowler, professor of geography, was recently named director of the Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC) at Penn State, a unit within the Social Science Research Institute and one of over 30 Federal Statistical Research Data Centers located across the country.…
NIH Application Policy Update
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new Application Policy Update, effective December 3, 2025 implementing the Removal of Requirements for Letters of Intent and Unsolicited Applications Requesting $500,000 or More in Direct Costs
The Update, Notice Number: NOT-OD-26-019, states that…
A hard year for federal workers offers a real-time lesson in resilience
By Anne Pisor, SSRI cofunded faculty member and assistant professor of anthropology and demography, for "The Conversation"
Imagine going from having a book club with your co-workers to seeing them only on a Signal chat where every member has to be vetted – and the main conversation topic is when…
Baumgartner Named SSRI Research Operations Manager
Natahsha Baumgartner has been named research operations manager for the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at Penn State.
Previously, Baumgartner was the associate director of University Health Services (UHS) Operations. In this role, she served as the administrative lead of UHS’s Pharmacy,…
Barbara Rigg retires from SSRI
SSRI Research Operations Manager Barbara Rigg recently retired after 35 years of service to Penn State. Barbara started at Penn State in 1991, working as a clerk accounting secretary in the Center for Cell Research, College of Science. She served in various research administrative roles in the…
Structural issue believed to be the cause of Welch Building incident
As most of you are aware, an incident occurred in Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building last Wednesday which prompted the evacuation of all occupants. We want to reassure you that everyone in SSRI is safe, and that no one was injured during the incident. Please be patient with us as we locate…
Q&A: Can drinking tap water reduce how many calories children drink?
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Drinking beverages sweetened with sugar can lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, cavities, diabetes and other health problems. More than 20 years of public health campaigns significantly reduced the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by U.S children, but that…
SSRI faculty recognized for research impact
Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.
SSRI cofunded faculty member Ryan Thombs, assistant professor of rural…
Why Social Science? - Because How Would We Understand the World Without It?
This month's Why Social Science? post comes from Lisa Schamess from the American Association of Geographers (AAG) about celebrating Geography Week and how geography is essential to our daily lives.
By Lisa Schamess (American Association of Geographers)
When I was in elementary school, the…
Keesler Graham Professorship accepting applications
The Dr. Frances Keesler Graham Early Career Professorship provides supplemental funding to social and behavioral science faculty members at Penn State whose research is focused on relationships between the human brain and human behavior (psychological and brain science). The deadline to apply…
SSRI Cofund Julia Szabo recognized for enhancing teaching with technology
Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT) has announced the recipients of the inaugural New Faculty Recognition Award for the 2024-25 academic year. This award recognizes new faculty at Penn State who have demonstrated a clear and ongoing commitment to enhancing student learning by actively…
Registering with Global Safety Network
Penn State requires that our faculty and graduate students register with the Global Safety Network so that that the University can assist international travelers in the event that they find themselves in an emergency situation abroad (e.g., a military attack or natural disaster) or — if they are…
Why Social Science? - Because Reimagining Science Requires Behavioral and Social Scientists at the Table, Too
By Sam Goldstein, Science for Good
Nearly 40% of deaths in the United States are preventable through changes in behavior. Modifiable risk factors like smoking, poor diet, inactivity, or alcohol use are contributors to many cancers. For children and teens ages 1 to 17, the leading cause of death is…