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 sabbatical from Wellesley College, where he was an assistant professor of political science. At the time, he was researching the impact of remittances on attitudes toward social welfare policies and labor rights in Latin America.
In his new role at SSRI, beginning July 1, Contreras will contribute to the development of community-engaged and policy-relevant scholarship. He will also support the creation of new research proposals and the advancement of existing funded projects. In addition, he will work closely with SSRI’s director and executive committee on faculty development, lead self-study activities, and help develop and implement a new SSRI strategic plan.
“I am most eager to better understand how senior leaders in higher education manage resources, address contemporary issues, and make strategic decisions at a time when colleges and universities are being called on to be better stewards of the public interest,” Contreras said.
Contreras was born in the Dominican Republic and migrated to New York City at the age of eight. His lived experience and academic training position him well to support SSRI’s mission of advancing interdisciplinary, socially relevant research.
SSRI enables and facilitates research that addresses critical human and social challenges at the local, national, and international levels. The institute supports 58 cofunded faculty positioned within nine colleges and over 500 faculty across nine campuses via various funding mechanisms.