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…
Q&A: Understanding cost and benefit for publicly funded health programs
Recent laws instituted in the United States substantially cut funding to many government programs, especially those related to health or social well-being.
As a health economist, Dennis Scanlon, distinguished professor of health policy and administration at Penn State, studies the financial impact…
Federal science cuts threaten our natural resources
By Anne Pisor for The Times-Tribune
What if I told you the friendships you’ve built on the lake, river or trail could help protect Pennsylvania fisheries — would you believe me?
With support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), I’ve been studying how our everyday relationships — like those…
Private tutoring linked to student disengagement, researchers find
Private tutoring and supplemental learning are intended to enhance classroom learning, but new research led by a professor in the Penn State College of Education has revealed that it may actually erode student engagement. The finding came from an analysis of South Korean elementary students but has…
Early brain and child development study data now available
The first wave of data Penn State's HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study is now available to researchers interested in addressing a wide-range of questions, including how environments and substances impact infant and child development.
In 2021, the National Institute on Drug Abuse…
Why Social Science? - Because If We Don’t Advocate for the Future of our Field, Who Will?
By Marcel LaFlamme, Association of Research Libraries; Angelo Cusimano, CUNY; and Sarah Wang, American University
This month's "Why Social Science?" post comes from three participants from this year's Social Science Advocacy Day who reflected upon their advocacy experiences and the…
Contreras new assistant director at SSRI
The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at Penn State is pleased to welcome Danilo Antonio Contreras as its new assistant director.
Contreras first came to Penn State in 2023 as a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Workers’ Rights in the School of Labor and Employment Relations while on…
New program aims to help faculty build skills in AI, quantum sciences
A call for proposals out of the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) seeks to provide University faculty members with the opportunities to learn new skills and make use of available resources in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum…
Penn State Neuroscience Institute Expands Access to Groundbreaking Mental Health Registry
Penn State has expanded access to a powerful clinical registry of mental health data, the Penn State Clinical Assessment and Rating Evaluation System (PCARES), to investigators at the University Park campus through the Penn State Neuroscience Institute (PSNI).
Developed by faculty in Penn State’s…
Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate awards seed funding to five research projects
Penn State’s Cocoziello Institute of Real Estate Innovation has awarded seed grants to five interdisciplinary research projects. These grants support collaborative projects led by Penn State faculty who aim to generate innovative solutions to complex challenges in real estate and the built…
NIH announces new Public Access Policy
Change in NIH Public Access PolicyEffective July 1, 2025
Attention all researchers! There has been a change in NIH's public access policy. The policy still requires that all NIH-supported journal publications be submitted to PubMed Central. However, there are new requirements…