Why Social Science? - Because It Can Improve the Lives of City Residents
By David Yokum, J.D., Ph.D., Director, The Lab @ DC
There’s a movement underway to integrate scientific research into the everyday workings of government at all levels. Increasingly, research professionals are being called upon to roll up their sleeves and lend their advice, expertise, and…
Youth who age out of foster care show higher educational attainment
Children in foster care often suffer detrimental effects that can carry over into adulthood and infect future relationships. However, new Penn State research indicates youth who age out of foster care attain higher educational achievement than those who exit foster care and are reunited with their…
NIH guide notice on basic science studies involving human participants
The purpose of this notice is to describe interim policy flexibilities for a subset of NIH-funded studies whose primary purpose is the pursuit of basic science. These are studies that meet the NIH definition of a “clinical trial” and that also meet the Federal definition of basic science. …
Frankenberg participates on national panel about school integration
Erica Frankenberg, associate professor of education (educational leadership) and director of the Center for Education and Civil Rights at Penn State, was one of four panelists who will present "School Integration 2018," a briefing on past progress, present threats and future opportunities, that…
Advance feedback offered on strategic initiative seed grant funding proposals
Penn State community members, including faculty and staff, have been invited to submit ideas for pilot projects that are aimed at fulfilling the mission of the strategic plan to advance innovation, research, learning and engagement at the University and beyond. Proposals for the third cycle for RFP…
Penn State raises a record-setting $362.9 million during 2017-18 fiscal year
Penn State has had a banner year thanks to the support and contributions of so many in the Penn State family. Our alumni, donors, and friends are central to our reputation and success, and I know you take a great deal of pride in your University. As such, I wish to share a few of the key highlights…
CTSI StudyFinder survey
CTSI is conducting a survey to improve Studyfinder, their online recruitment platform.
This summary explains information about this research. You are urged to ask questions about anything that is unclear to you.
The purpose of this research is to learn about who is currently using the Penn State…
Arthur Lupia to Lead NSF's Social Science Directorate
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced that it has selected Dr. Arthur "Skip" Lupia to serve as the next head of its Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE), following the expiration of Dr. Fay Lomax Cook's term. Dr. Lupia is currently the Hal R. Varian…
New report provides valuable insights into the ethical dilemmas in bringing prevention programs into community settings
The process of transitioning from a research study with promising results to community ownership and implementation of an effective prevention practice is fraught with ethical challenges that warrant discussion in order to ensure that we "do no harm" while simultaneously providing society with the…
'Share Your Opioid Story' website bringing awareness, buzz of opioid epidemic
Watch the WJAC-TV news coverage of the "Shair Your Opioid Story" website, featuring SSRI Director Susan McHale and Justice Center for Research's Glenn Sterner.
Four faculty join Social Science Research Institute
Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) recently announced four new co-funded faculty members who will join the institute in the 2018-19 academic year: Maithreyi Gopalan, Alexis Santos, Kenneth Shores, and Ericka Weathers.
Maithreyi Gopalan, assistant professor of education in the…
Expecting a stressful day may lower cognitive abilities throughout the day
There may be some truth to the saying “getting up on the wrong side of the bed,” according to Penn State researchers who say starting your morning by focusing on how stressful your day will be may be harmful to your mindset throughout the day.
The researchers found that when participants woke up…
Open source software valuable resource to Penn State researchers
OpenMx, a free and open source software that allows researchers to perform their analysis quickly and easily, has recently undergone several upgrades along with the addition of a new YouTube channel.
According to Tim Brick, a member of the OpenMx development team and assistant professor of human…
New website helps parents talk to kids about inclusivity
Children model their behavior after their parents and other adults in their lives. This means that they also adopt and reflect the mindsets and attitudes towards inclusivity that are displayed by these adults.
To help parents teach tolerance and acceptance to their children, Penn State’s…
Biases may stoke victim blaming, or reduce it, no matter what the crime
General biases may be at work when people blame or criticize victims of crimes, including rape and robbery victims, according to criminologists. These biases may lead them to criticize, or avoid the criticism of victims of rape and other crimes, they added.
In two studies on the role biases play in…
Childhood sibling dynamics may predict differences in college education
The effects of sibling relationships may go beyond childhood bickering and bonding, according to Penn State researchers who found that these relationships may predict similarities and differences in siblings’ education later in life.
In a study spanning about 15 years, the researchers found that…
Penn State researchers hope website humanizes, helps others affected by opioids
Stories can speak as loudly as statistics.
That is the purpose behind “Share Your Opioid Story,” an initiative designed to raise public awareness of the impact of the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania and empower Pennsylvanians affected by the epidemic to talk openly about the effects of opioid…
Contributions of social and behavioral research in addressing the opioid crisis
OBSSR in collaboration with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and the NIH…
Opioid crisis funding opportunities
Funding opportunities to address the opioid crisis are available from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation…
Use of regulated/biohazardous materials in research and instruction
The primary responsibility of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) is to review research and teaching activities involving the use of materials that have the potential to pose a danger to the health and safety of researchers and the community. This includes oversight of the recombinant DNA…
Technology development training program to accept applications in June
Innovations, a technology development training program of Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Center for Medical Innovation, will accept applications for the 2018 program from June 1 through June 30. An informational session about the program will be held from…
Proposals sought for strategic initiative seed grant funding
Penn State community members, including faculty and staff, are invited to submit ideas for pilot projects that are aimed at fulfilling the mission of the strategic plan to advance innovation, research, learning and engagement at the University and beyond. Proposals for the third cycle for RFP…
Ties between oral vocabulary and STEM difficulties to be investigated
Young children with early vocabulary difficulties in turn often have difficulty with reading during the primary grades. Penn State researchers will investigate if these oral vocabulary difficulties also lead to math and sciences difficulties throughout elementary school in a three-year, $1.5…
NIH's notice of fiscal policies in effect for FY 2018
This Notice provides guidance about the NIH Fiscal Operations for FY 2018 and implements the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), signed into law on March 23, 2018. With the passage of the Act, NIH received a 9 percent increase over FY 2017, for a total…
Human Health and the Environment seed grant recipients announced
Human Health and the Environment seed grants for 2018 have been awarded to eight interdisciplinary teams of Penn State researchers. The seed grants were funded through a collaboration of Penn State Institutes and the College of Medicine, which collectively contributed more than $400,000.
The…