Brian Thiede, associate professor of rural sociology, sociology, and demography, has been named the director of @pop.psu.edu. Looking ahead, Thiede aims to strengthen PRI's externally funded research portfolio, expand its support of early- and mid-career research associates. 🔗
Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) recently announced that Jennifer Van Hook, distinguished professor of sociology and demography, will become the new director of its Data Resources Hub (DRH), effective July 1. 🔗
Join CERAP for their 2026 Summer Institute on Tues. Jun. 2nd to Wed. Jun. 3rd from 8am-5pm at University Park. It will provide an inclusive space for community members & researchers to develop knowledge & skills on community-engaged research methods, partnerships & practice. 🔗
PSU faculty members and Rock Ethics Institute senior research associates @dcameron.bsky.social & Alan Wagner recently discussed the potential for empathy between humans and AI in a Q&A. 🔗
A new website developed by Penn State researchers, U.S. Migration Metrics, will provide data on the size and demographics on the U.S.'s immigrant population. 🔗
Join the Consortium on Moral Decision-Making for the “Moral Fragmentations and Boundaries” event at the Penn State Innovation Hub and on Zoom April 19-20 from 9am-6pm EST. Register 🔗
Established by SSRI cofund & Sociology & Criminology dept. head, Michelle Frisco, the Department of Sociology and Criminology Flexible Leadership Fund will help meet the needs of students. 🔗
According to a new study by Penn State researchers published in the journal Demography, if birthright citizenship is ended, the number of children born without a defined legal status in the United States may reach up to 6.4 million by 2050. 🔗
SSRI cofunded faculty member Kelly Rosinger, associate professor of education and public policy, Department of Education Policy Studies, was given the Outstanding Researcher Award during the Penn State College of Education's annual awards ceremony. 🔗
Miller will highlight ongoing work at PSU that already intersects with real estate in unexpected ways, from behavioral studies in smart environments to research on equity, mobility, #environmentalhealth, and #communityresilience. Miller's Research Profile 🔗 buff.ly/kcgW0fD
This talk introduces the Cocoziello Institute for Real Estate Innovation’s mission to integrate human‑centered research, data analytics, and emerging technologies—including digital twins and AI‑driven decision tools—to better understand how people experience and shape the spaces around them.
SSRI will host "The Social Science of Space: Why Real Estate Needs You More Than You Think" Open House on Mon. Apr. 13 in 110 Ford Building/Zoom w/ Scarlet Miller, Paul Morrow Prof of Engineering Design & Manufacturing & Dir. of the Cocoziello Institute for Real Estate Innovation. 🔗 buff.ly/EFFpElF
From @nytimes.com: In a new study, Population Research Institute director, Jenny Van Hook, & co-author Nicole Kreisberg, SSRI cofund, found that found that an end to universal birthright citizenship would disproportionately affect babies born to Asian parents. 🔗
Organizers of the “AI and Social Research: Empathic AI, Metascience, and Methodology” event, taking place June 3 – 4 at Penn State’s Innovation Hub and on Zoom, are inviting early career researchers to submit a poster. 🔗
SSRI's Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction will host its seventh annual conference, in-person and via Zoom, on Monday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Barron Innovation Hub at the University Park campus. Traci C. Green will be the keynote speaker. 🔗
SSRI cofunded faculty member Sarah Brothers is the author of the forthcoming book “Hit Doctors: Care, Harm, and the Art of Survival”, an ethnographic study examining informal caregiving networks among people who inject drugs in San Francisco. 🔗
SSRI’s Community-Engaged Research, Action and Partnerships (CERAP) unit and the College of the Liberal Arts' Child Study Center (CSC) hosted the 2026 Innovation Hub Symposium, “Community-Engaged Research for Public Impact: Process to Policy,” in early February. 🔗 buff.ly/KweiHen
Miller will highlight ongoing work at PSU that already intersects with real estate in unexpected ways, from behavioral studies in smart environments to research on equity, mobility, #environmentalhealth, and #communityresilience. Miller's Research Profile 🔗 buff.ly/kcgW0fD
This talk introduces the Cocoziello Institute for Real Estate Innovation’s mission to integrate human‑centered research, data analytics, and emerging technologies—including digital twins and AI‑driven decision tools—to better understand how people experience and shape the spaces around them.
SSRI will host "The Social Science of Space: Why Real Estate Needs You More Than You Think" Open House on Mon. Apr. 13 in 110 Ford Building/Zoom w/ Scarlet Miller, Paul Morrow Prof of Engineering Design & Manufacturing & Dir. of the Cocoziello Institute for Real Estate Innovation. 🔗 buff.ly/EFFpElF
The newly developed Pennsylvania Addiction Action Network, funded by FY2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act & led by the SSRI's Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction (CSUA), will help counties make decisions on the best use of their opioid settlement funds in their communities. 🔗
The conference will have several panels, a poster session & a series of research talks from researchers, students, & community members. The deadline for participating in the poster session and/or research talks is Mon. Mar. 30. Apply 🔗 buff.ly/ll9HFKs
Event Link 🔗 buff.ly/jPbV0iT
SSRI's Consortium on Substance Use & Addiction will host its seventh annual conference, in-person & Zoom on Mon. May 4 from 8-4pm. at the Barron Innovation Hub at the University Park campus. The all-day event is free, but all in-person and virtual attendees must register. Register 🔗 buff.ly/P1LAvRr
Keith Aronson, director of the Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (Clearinghouse), has received a 2026-27 Penn State Opportunity Grant from the Center for Faculty Development and Advancement in Penn State’s Office of Faculty Affairs. 🔗
The Consortium on Moral Decision-Making will host a hybrid workshop on Monday, March 23 from 1:30pm-4:00pm in 124 Sparks Building/Zoom. The workshop brings together scholars on topics in methodology and assessment of moral emotions, moral reasoning, and moral judgments. 🔗
Want more recordings of our Open Houses and other events? Check out our YouTube channel or visit our website.🔗 buff.ly/RDVrMOw
Did you know? We record our Open Houses and post them to our YouTube channel. Check out our last Open House, "An Introduction to the Google Gemini API." Hosted by Nick Hemauer (Ph.D. Student in Political Science), the workshop introduces participants to Google’s Gemini API.🔗 buff.ly/hI6GxtU
UPDATE‼️ Please note that the SSRI Open House on Monday, March 23 has been CANCELLED and will be rescheduled at a later date. Join us on Monday, April 6 for Social Policy and Public Impact at Penn State Open House from 12pm-1pm in 110 Ford Building/Zoom. 🔗
Weather, and the trends are only going to continue. A new statewide effort is looking to create a network to help communities face the challenges ahead. It’s called Prepare PA. Allegheny Front’s Kara Holsopple spoke to Jacqueline O’Connor & Peter Buck about the project. 🔗
12:25–12:30 PM – Elizabeth Gatchell, College of Nursing
12:30–12:35 PM – Nicole Etter & Elise Lindqist, HHD
12:35–12:40 PM – Travis Masterson, HHD
12:45–12:50 PM – Justin Tondt, Penn State Health
12:50–1:15 PM – Q&A, Networking and Discussions