The Social Science Research Institute announces co-funded and affiliated faculty member promotions
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Social Science Research Institute congratulates the following cofunded and affiliated Penn State faculty members on their promotions, which are effective July 1:
Promoted to Professor
Laura Cabrera Trujillo, professor, Department of Engineering Science and…
Krishnan Awarded the Lloyd Prize for Innovative Health Research
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) is pleased to announce Mohanraj Krishnan as the recipient of the 2026 Lloyd Prize for Innovative Health Research made possible by a generous endowment created by Dr. Thomas Lloyd, a former College of Medicine faculty…
When is screen time healthy and when is it not?
Smartphones have been connected to a host of modern problems including loneliness, decreased physical activity, sleep problems and all the mental and physical health issues associated with those conditions.
But not all screen time is bad, according to Nelson Roque, assistant professor of human…
Research Professor Sarah Chilenski wins international mentoring award
The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center (PRC) at Penn State has announced that Sarah Chilenski, Penn State research professor of health and human development and SSRI and CSUA affiliate, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Friend of ECPN Award by the Society for Prevention Research…
Updates to AI Resource Hub
The AI Resource Hub has been updated with a new set of peer-reviewed publications, books, tools, conference listings, and funding opportunities spanning the nine verticals of Penn State's Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI), including several new…
Child Study Center program We Are Connected offers its students community
For even the most outgoing students, arriving at a place the size of Penn State can be a daunting experience that for some may lead to isolation, loneliness, anxiety and depression. With intentions of mitigating those risks, the University’s Child Study Center (CSC) has developed We Are Connected,…
Why Social Science? - Because It Helps Us Understand (and Change) Our Society
The most recent Why Social Science? post comes from Dr. Joshua L. Rosenbloom (Iowa State University) who writes about how social science can offer useful analysis and policy suggestions to address the negative social consequences of income inequality and wealth distrubution. Read on for more.
Senators McCormick and Fetterman urge NIH to release FY2026 appropriated funds
U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) recently sent a letter to the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) urging NIH to take immediate action to ensure the timely obligation of all congressionally appropriated FY 2026 grant funding.
“Failure to disburse…
NIH Requirement Regarding Foreign Components
On May 12, 2026, the NIH issued an update reaffirming its enforcement of research security and transparency. As part of this initiative, the NIH is actively auditing publications to identify unapproved "foreign components.”
While the definition of a foreign component …
Fowler featured in first SSRI Public Impact Research video
Christopher Fowler, professor of geography and director of SSRI’s Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC), is the first researcher featured in a new SSRI video series focusing on how research translates to public impact.
In the video, Fowler discusses how accurately interpreting US…
AI in Social Research event to be held June 3-4
The AI and Social Research: Empathic AI, Metascience, and Methodology Conference will be held June 3-4 at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub and on Zoom.
The two-day event will bring together researchers from psychology, political science, philosophy, computer science, and related fields…
What are the risks of cannabis use?
On April 26, the United States reclassified cannabis from a Schedule I controlled substance, which lacks any medical benefits, to a Schedule III controlled substance, which has accepted medical uses and lower potential for misuse than a Schedule I substance.
Over the past two decades, cannabis has…
College of Medicine appoints Jennifer Kraschnewski to vice dean role
Penn State College of Medicine has appointed Jennifer Kraschnewski, professor of medicine, of pediatrics and of public health sciences, as vice dean for research, clinical and translational science within the Office of Research, Graduate Studies and Innovation, effective July 1.
In this role,…
Penn State educator invited to lead two workshops at Max Planck Institute
Leah P. Hollis, a professor in the Penn State College of Education and SSRI affiliate faculty member, has been invited to deliver two workshops at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany.
The invited sessions will focus on workplace culture, employee well-being and…
‘Affordable’ Pittsburgh doesn’t have enough affordable housing – here’s why
This article was written by Selena Ortiz, associate professor of health policy and administration and demography, SSRI Affiliate, and PRI Associate for The Conversation.
Pittsburgh is widely regarded as a relatively affordable place to live. Overall, housing and living costs remain below national…
Penn State CTSI director inducted as an inaugural fellow of national association
The director of the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), part of the Penn State College of Medicine, has earned national recognition. Jennifer Kraschnewski was named a 2026 fellow of the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS), a non-profit membership…
New EIC Podcast episodes on building STEM pathways
The Social Science Research Institute's Evidence-to-Impact Podcast shares an insightful, two-part episode titled “Building STEM Pathways: Connecting Youth, Education, and Industry”. In this episode, host Michael Donovan, associate director of the Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative at Penn State, sits…
SSRI celebrates faculty accomplishments, staff awards
Faculty and staff from all of SSRI's units recently gathered at the Nittany Lion Inn to celebrate major accomplishments of the year and to announce staff awards.
Courtney Carmichael, research project support specialist, Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness, was awarded the “…
Harshly parented children show poorer development of stress regulation
As toddlers age into the preschool years, their dependency on their parents usually begins to ebb. However, a new study led by Penn State researchers has revealed that physically or psychologically aggressive parenting, such as spanking or shouting, can disrupt this pattern to the detriment of both…
Consortium on Moral Decision-Making announces funding recipients
The Consortium on Moral Decision-Making at Penn State recently awarded Ember Grants to fund 16 projects supporting interdisciplinary research related to the conceptual and empirical study of human morality and ethical decision-making.
According to consortium director Daryl…
Lovejoy joins SSRI
SSRI is pleased to announce the addition of Kaitlin Lovejoy to the administrative staff.
In her new role, Kaitlin will plan SSRI events, including open houses, workshops, and faculty talks. She will also manage funding opportunities, including seed grants, fellowships, and endowments, and…
Child abuse may be connected to changes in development, body regulation
Children who experienced abuse or neglect displayed disrupted development and decreased ability to maintain stable function of internal bodily systems, according to a new study led by researchers in the Penn State Department of Biobehavioral Health.
The study, published today (May 7) in Molecular…
Provost Sotiropoulus tours SSRI
Penn State’s Executive Vice President and Provost, Dr. Fotis Sotiropoulus, recently visited the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) as part of his initial tour of Penn State research institutes.
Dr. Sotiropoulus heard from Director Dr. Deborah Ehrenthal, who gave an overview of SSRI’s mission…
Why Social Science? - Because Constituents Have the Power to Hold Elected Officials Accountable: Reflections from COSSA’s 2026 Social Science Advocacy Day
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 importance of advocating for the social sciences.
By Katherine M. Robiadek, Xavier University; Jessica Rich, Virginia Tech…
33 faculty members earn Opportunity Grant Awards
Thirty-three non-tenure-line faculty will use Opportunity Grants to fund a project of their choosing during the 2026-27 academic year.
Opportunity Grants are designed for clinical, teaching, research and professors of practice faculty to receive funding for professional development through a self-…