COSSA 2022 rankings of college and university social science R&D
The Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) recently released its annual College and University Rankings for Federal Social and Behavioral Science R&D, which highlight the top university recipients of research dollars in the social and behavioral sciences.
Penn State was ranked…
Morgan among top 1% of researchers globally
Harry & Marion Royer Eberly Fellow and Professor of Education and Demography Paul Morgan is recognized as being among the top 1% of scientists in the world, according to a report from Elsevier BV and Stanford University.
Morgan is also a PRI associate and the director for the Center of…
How to conduct research at the FSRDC seminar
Join SSRI on March 22 at 1 p.m. as Emily Greenman, administrator of Penn State's Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC), and Mark Roberts, professor of economics and FSRDC director, provide faculty and graduate students with information on conducting research at the Penn State…
COVID-19 and the mental health of essential workers
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental health and well-being of the population as a whole, leading to large-scale lifestyle changes, social isolation, and increased stress. However, this has been especially pertinent to essential workers—facing high workloads, insufficient…
Children eat what they like, but food intake driven more by what they dislike
It is often said that “children eat what they like,” but the results of a new study by Penn State nutritionists and sensory scientists suggests that when it comes to meals, it is more accurate and more relevant to say, “children do not eat what they dislike.”
There is an important difference,…
Journalist and storyteller Sam Quinones to present virtual talk March 23
SSRI's Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction and the Criminal Justice Research Center will host a virtual talk with Sam Quinones on Wednesday, March 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m., titled "True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth with Sam…
Penn State establishes the Geroscience and Dementia Prevention Consortium
There is growing evidence that cognitive decline and dementia can be slowed. According to a recent report commissioned by the Lancet, an estimated 40% of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by targeting modifiable behavioral, physical health, and psychosocial risk factors. There are also…
Why Social Science ? - Because It Can Help Preserve Cultural Heritage Important for Understanding and Social Benefit
This week's Why Social Science? post comes from Richard Kurin, Distinguished Scholar & Ambassador at Large at the Smithsonian Institution, who writes about the role social science plays in protecting and preserving cultural heritage.
Cultural heritage is today threatened on…
Aging and Disability Services are Unequally Distributed Across the United States
The U.S. population is aging rapidly, but 15% of U.S. counties have no aging and disability services organizations. This research brief by Syracuse University’s Claire Pendergrast and Penn State's PRI Associate Danielle Rhubart shows that rural counties and counties with the highest rates of…
Positive parenting can reduce the risk that children develop obesity
New research from Penn State found that children with positive, early interactions with their care givers — characterized by warmth, responsiveness, and a sitmulating home environment — were at reduced risk of childhood obesity.
“A lot of the discussion around childhood obesity and…
Diagnosing head injuries key in child abuse cases
Being able to accurately diagnose suspected child abuse is crucial, as an incorrect diagnosis can possibly lead to traumatic family separations and questionable criminal charges or result in the return of the child to an abusive situation.
Researchers at Penn State are committed to…
COVID-19 and gun violence increasing in PA
Pennsylvania saw a 38% increase in the rate of gun violence during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was higher than the national average. This observation is based on the recent peer-reviewed study that enabled Penn State researchers to assess the rates of gun violence…
Researchers to study COVID-19 effects on maternal, child health during pregnancy
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has awarded Penn State College of Medicine $3.9 million through May 2025 to study the impact COVID-19 has on pregnancy. The researchers will conduct a multi-site study to examine the health outcomes for pregnant women and their infants…
CATS Safety Now Live for Biosafety Protocols
CATS Safety is a web-based system that allows for a more streamlined process to submit, review, and approve the use of regulated and biohazardous materials in research and instruction (as defined in Penn State Policy RP11). CATS Safety joins existing systems, CATS IRB and CATS IACUC. …
Kraschnewski named director of Clinical Translational Science Institute
Dr. Jennifer Kraschnewski has assumed the role of director of Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute effective Feb. 7.
Kraschnewski will be leading the CTSI along with associate directors Susan McHale, Nikolay Dokholyan and Christopher Sciamanna.
Kraschnewski takes over the…
Researchers examine link between residential and school segregation
School segregation has remained a hot-button political issue since Brown vs. Board of Education, a landmark 1954 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the justices ruled that state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional. New research from a Penn State…
Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction in SSRI opens seed grant proposals
The Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction (CSUA), part of the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) at Penn State, has announced an invitation for its Level 2 Seed Grants program.
Applications for the program are encouraged to build upon the University’s distinctive…
Joint Lerner/PRI brief on rural working-age adults' health vs. urban workers
Self-rated health is considered a strong predictor of chronic disease risk and premature mortality. This brief by Shannon M. Monnat, Syracuse University, and Danielle Rhubart, PRI associate at Penn State, analyzes data from the National Wellbeing Survey (NWS), a sample of approximately 4,…
'Family Foundations' parenting program helps families weather the pandemic
For nearly 20 years, Penn State Research Professor Mark Feinberg has been developing and sharing Family Foundations, a course for couples expecting their first child that focuses on how to work as a team, communicate, and solve problems. New research shows that couples who took Family…
Social science policy and communication strategies workshop
Interested in how to get your work into the hands of policymakers? Want to know how to frame your science to increase its value by decision makers and engage directly with leaders about your science?
The Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative (EIC) at Penn State is hosting the virtual workshop…
College students' sense of belonging related to mental health during pandemic
Among the many challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented to the higher education community, one of the most serious is arguably the toll on college students’ mental health. Penn State researchers have found that students’ sense of belongingness in a higher education institution not only…
Penn State professor to serve President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition
David Conroy, professor of kinesiology at Penn State, was recently named to the 2022 President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition Science Board.
The board is charged with providing scientific expertise, supporting implementation of programs, and developing reports for the…
Shenk named AAAS Fellow
Congratulations to PRI Associate Mary Shenk, one of five Penn State faculty members named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest general scientific society.
Story in Penn State News.
Crowley elected to Board of Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice
Max Crowley, associate professor of human development and family studies & public policy and director of the Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative at Penn State, was recently elected to the Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice Board of Directors.
Formed in 1924 as the American…
Can wearable technology predict the negative consequences of drinking?
“How much have you had to drink?” might seem like a simple question, but it is not always easy to answer. Although there are general guidelines about responsible alcohol consumption, a person’s level of intoxication depends not only on the number of drinks they consume but also on the alcohol…