Letter from the Director
Dear ISR Community,
I am pleased to share the Institute for Social Research 2025 annual report. As an organization dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering collaboration, this report highlights the relevance of social science research in helping us understand an increasingly complex and interconnected world. ISR’s scholars continue to investigate bold questions using rigorous methods, producing research that informs policy, practice, and public life.
Over the past year, ISR has developed new interdisciplinary partnerships. We were proud to showcase our collaboration with the Wallace House Center for Journalists to support the intersection of journalism and social science research. Working with the College of Engineering, pilot grants to study rural life are supporting teams of interdisciplinary researchers. These collaborations highlight the potential of cross-disciplinary inquiry to develop practical solutions to real-world problems.
Training and mentorship remain core to ISR’s mission. We continue to invest in the next generation of social scientists through our graduate and postdoctoral fellowships, as well as our Junior Professional Researcher (JPR) Program. The JPR initiative, now in its third year, has been especially impactful in providing early-career researchers with the tools, experience, and professional networks necessary to launch meaningful careers in research.
This year, our artist-in-residence, Rick Lowe, has worked alongside ISR scholars to join artistic practice together with social science research. His work has offered new ways to visualize and engage with themes of equity and justice. Additionally, our collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic explored the social dynamics of performance and audience engagement, further demonstrating how the arts can enrich and expand social research.
Across the five ISR research centers, our faculty, staff, and students have made significant contributions to understanding human behavior and society. This report provides updates on major studies, initiatives, and milestones achieved within each center.
I am grateful to our partners and supporters for your continued engagement and belief in the importance of social research. As we look ahead, we remain committed to rigorous research that informs our understanding of the world around us.
All the very best,
Kate Cagney
Director
Institute for Social Research
