Poster session highlights the impact of ISR’s Next Generation Initiative
November 2, 2026
ANN ARBOR — Donor generosity is fueling the next generation of social science at the Institute for Social Research (ISR). Scholars whose work was made possible through philanthropic support of ISR’s Next Generation Initiative recently gathered in the James Jackson Atrium to showcase their latest research in a poster session, highlighting the ongoing impact of philanthropic investment.
16 scholars presented and discussed their posters, highlighting research across a variety of disciplines and topics, all made possible in part by funding from the Next Generation Initiative.
“Training and supporting future generations of social scientists is one of ISR’s most important values,” said Abby Bossio, strategic initiatives manager at ISR. “This poster session is a big part of that. It’s important to ISR that we not only support early career social scientists financially, but give them opportunities to share their work and build collaborative connections within the ISR community.”
The Next Generation Initiative refers to a collective of donor-supported awards managed by ISR. The poster session coincided with the 25th anniversary of the program.
“Since 2001, the Next Generation Initiative has supported University of Michigan graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and pre-tenure faculty,” said Bossio. “We have awarded funding to more than 800 scholars, and now provide more than $300,000 each year to researchers at pivotal stages in their careers, helping them advance their research and create a foundation for future success.”
Numerous recipients of Next Generation Initiative Funding have gone on to distinguished careers after getting their start at ISR. For example, Nicole Yadon, now a highly regarded expert on the intersection of race and politics, started her research career at ISR and received funding from the Next Generation Initiative that allowed her to fund a crucial project.
“I received that [funding] at a pretty pivotal moment,” Yadon said. “I was starting to collect data for the project that would become my dissertation, and that was really invaluable for preparing my dissertation proposal and to move on to larger data collection efforts.”
She’s now a tenured faculty member at Ohio State University.
“Many scholars supported by the Next Generation Initiative have gone on to make important contributions to their fields,” said Bossio. “The research presented at this poster session offers a glimpse of what’s ahead for this group of emerging social scientists, and we look forward to seeing where their work takes them.”
Applications for the 2027 cycle of Next Generation Initiative awards will open in early December 2026. Those interested in applying, can check the ISR webpage for updates.
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected])