ISR and NORC win the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Social Sciences
April 28, 2026
The Institute for Social Research has been named a recipient of the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Social Sciences (18th edition), sharing the honor with NORC at the University of Chicago.
According to the BBVA Foundation award committee, ISR and NORC are recognized for their “long-term contribution to the objective measurement of public opinion and social life,” and for creating “a reliable and unsurpassed source for social scientists, policymakers, and journalists” through extensive data series built up over eight decades of research.
In its citation, the committee described ISR as “a global leader in empirically grounded social science,” noting that “since its founding in 1949, ISR has transformed how researchers and policymakers understand human behavior, social change, and population dynamics.” The citation also highlighted ISR’s methodological innovation, public relevance, and stewardship of one of the largest social science data archives, emphasizing its role in advancing knowledge “in service of society.”
Read the full BBVA Foundation news release for additional details about the award, the committee’s full citation, and more about this year’s recognition.