Social Science Research Institute at Penn State
@ssripennstate.bsky.social
#PennState research institute that does #SocialScience.
Our mission is to foster research that addresses critical human and social problems at the local, national, and international levels.
Visit our website: https://ssri.psu.edu/
Our mission is to foster research that addresses critical human and social problems at the local, national, and international levels.
Visit our website: https://ssri.psu.edu/
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Welcome to SSRI's Bluesky account! Please check out our website to see what kind of work we do and subscribe to our newsletter for more information about events, opportunities, and research news. 👋 If you're a #PennState faculty member & do social science, please follow us!
Online gambling in PA continues to increase, according to the 2025 PA Interactive Gaming Assessment: Online Gambling Report. The assessment was co-authored by researchers in PSU’s Criminal Justice Research Center & developed under contract with the PA Dept of Drug & Alcohol Programs.
Online gambling participation increased in Pennsylvania in 2025, report finds | Social Science Research Institute
Online gambling in Pennsylvania continues to increase, according to the 2025 Pennsylvania Interactive Gaming Assessment: Online Gambling Report. The assessment was co-authored by researchers in Penn…
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January 30, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Online gambling in PA continues to increase, according to the 2025 PA Interactive Gaming Assessment: Online Gambling Report. The assessment was co-authored by researchers in PSU’s Criminal Justice Research Center & developed under contract with the PA Dept of Drug & Alcohol Programs.
Orfeu Buxton, SSRI cofunded faculty member and associate director at SSRI and CTSI, was featured on The Last Show with David Cooper Podcast in an episode titled “Sleep Quality, Not Quantity” released January 16. ➡️
Buxton featured on “Sleep Quality, Not Quantity” Podcast | Social Science Research Institute
Orfeu Buxton, SSRI cofunded faculty member and associate director at SSRI and CTSI, was featured on The Last Show with David Cooper Podcast in an episode titled “Sleep Quality, Not Quantity” released…
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January 29, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Orfeu Buxton, SSRI cofunded faculty member and associate director at SSRI and CTSI, was featured on The Last Show with David Cooper Podcast in an episode titled “Sleep Quality, Not Quantity” released January 16. ➡️
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the “Teach-a-thon,” a competition celebrating innovative teaching practices in response to the rise of large language models and generative AI. The virtual event is open to all PSU faculty. ➡️
Contest puts AI-ready teaching to the test | Social Science Research Institute
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the “Teach-a-thon,” a competition celebrating innovative teaching practices in…
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January 28, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the “Teach-a-thon,” a competition celebrating innovative teaching practices in response to the rise of large language models and generative AI. The virtual event is open to all PSU faculty. ➡️
In a new study, recently published in Health Psychology, researchers found that fathers who were warm and developmentally supportive with their babies at 10 months of age had more positive co-parenting with the child’s mother when the child was two years old. ➡️
Fathers’ early interactions with babies may affect child health years later | Social Science Research Institute
How a new father behaves toward his baby can change family dynamics in a way that affects the child’s heart and metabolic health years later, according to a new study by researchers in the Penn State…
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January 27, 2026 at 3:03 PM
In a new study, recently published in Health Psychology, researchers found that fathers who were warm and developmentally supportive with their babies at 10 months of age had more positive co-parenting with the child’s mother when the child was two years old. ➡️
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the results of its most recent seed-funding competition. The center awarded more than $152,000 to seven interdisciplinary research projects representing six colleges. ➡️
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to seven diverse projects | Social Science Research Institute
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the results of its most recent seed-funding competition. The center awarded more than $152,000 to seven…
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January 26, 2026 at 3:02 PM
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence (CSRAI) has announced the results of its most recent seed-funding competition. The center awarded more than $152,000 to seven interdisciplinary research projects representing six colleges. ➡️
UPDATE‼️ Our Open House, "Finetuning LLMs in Python for Survey Response Classification" on Mon. Jan. 26 from 12-1pm will move to VIRTUAL ONLY 💻 due to the impending snowstorm. Stay inside and join us on Zoom ➡️ buff.ly/d368xYM
January 23, 2026 at 6:45 PM
UPDATE‼️ Our Open House, "Finetuning LLMs in Python for Survey Response Classification" on Mon. Jan. 26 from 12-1pm will move to VIRTUAL ONLY 💻 due to the impending snowstorm. Stay inside and join us on Zoom ➡️ buff.ly/d368xYM
Building on her early career advocacy on behalf of abused and neglected children, Penn State graduate Rosemary Katchmar has come forward with a $200,000 estate commitment that will benefit the Fostering Lions Program. ➡️
Estate commitment to enhance resources for students from foster care system | Social Science Research Institute
Building on her early career advocacy on behalf of abused and neglected children, Penn State graduate Rosemary Katchmar has come forward with a $200,000 estate commitment that will benefit the…
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January 23, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Building on her early career advocacy on behalf of abused and neglected children, Penn State graduate Rosemary Katchmar has come forward with a $200,000 estate commitment that will benefit the Fostering Lions Program. ➡️
SSRI is hosting an Open House, "University-State Agency Partnerships: The Elevate Pennsylvania Initiative," on Mon. Feb. 2 from 12-1pm in 110 Ford Building/Zoom. Register Now ➡️
SSRI Open House - University-State Agency Partnerships: The Elevate Pennsylvania Initiative | Social Science Research Institute
Drs. Joel Segel, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Administration - Penn State, and Glenn Sterner, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice - University of Kentucky, will share updates on…
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January 22, 2026 at 3:02 PM
SSRI is hosting an Open House, "University-State Agency Partnerships: The Elevate Pennsylvania Initiative," on Mon. Feb. 2 from 12-1pm in 110 Ford Building/Zoom. Register Now ➡️
Penn State Research has recently launched a new website for core facilities. These facilities offer critical specialized instrumentation, services, and guidance to researchers and businesses. ➡️
New Penn State Cores Facility Website | Social Science Research Institute
Penn State Research has recently launched a new website for core facilities. These facilities offer critical specialized instrumentation, services, and guidance to researchers and businesses. The…
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January 21, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Penn State Research has recently launched a new website for core facilities. These facilities offer critical specialized instrumentation, services, and guidance to researchers and businesses. ➡️
The Central PA Scholars Strategy Network is hosting a virtual convo about reporting on drug policy and the PA legislative agenda with Stephen Caruso and Ed Mahon from Spotlight PA on Fri. Jan. 23 from 1-2pm. Register ➡️
Virtual Event: Reporting on Drug Policy and the Pennsylvania Legislative Agenda | Social Science Research Institute
Join the Central Pennsylvania Scholars Strategy Network for a timely virtual conversation with two leading Pennsylvania journalists: Stephen Caruso (Spotlight PA), who covers the governor’s office…
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January 20, 2026 at 6:45 PM
The Central PA Scholars Strategy Network is hosting a virtual convo about reporting on drug policy and the PA legislative agenda with Stephen Caruso and Ed Mahon from Spotlight PA on Fri. Jan. 23 from 1-2pm. Register ➡️
We're hosting our first 2026 Open House, Finetuning LLMs in Python for Survey Response Classification, on Mon. Jan. 26 from 12-1pm in 110 Ford Building/Zoom. Register ➡️
SSRI Open House - Finetuning LLMs in Python for Survey Response Classification. | Social Science Research Institute
Using the Python package PyTorch, this workshop discusses the architecture of BERT language models, and provides a coding example of how to fine-tune and evaluate a model for survey text response…
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January 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM
We're hosting our first 2026 Open House, Finetuning LLMs in Python for Survey Response Classification, on Mon. Jan. 26 from 12-1pm in 110 Ford Building/Zoom. Register ➡️
On Jan. 23 SSRI will host James Hodge, Megan LaMotte, and Charisse Nixon from the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation (CORE) at Penn State Behrend. RSVP Now ➡️
Penn State Behrend's CORE Team Visit | Social Science Research Institute
Google map
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January 16, 2026 at 3:03 PM
On Jan. 23 SSRI will host James Hodge, Megan LaMotte, and Charisse Nixon from the Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Community Outreach, Research, and Evaluation (CORE) at Penn State Behrend. RSVP Now ➡️
Congratulations to Mark Roberts on his retirement! Mark was director of SSRI's Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC), and liberal arts professor of economics, retired at the end of December after 45 years at Penn State. ➡️
Roberts retires after leading center from inception to success | Social Science Research Institute
Mark Roberts, former director of the Penn State’s Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC), and liberal arts professor of economics, retired at the end of December after 45 years at Penn…
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January 15, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Congratulations to Mark Roberts on his retirement! Mark was director of SSRI's Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC), and liberal arts professor of economics, retired at the end of December after 45 years at Penn State. ➡️
SSRI associate director & professor of biobehavioral health, Orfeu Buxton, led a study that found waking up in the middle of the night impacts cognitive performance regardless of sleep duration. Read On ➡️
Night waking impacts cognitive performance regardless of sleep duration | Social Science Research Institute
When it comes to sleep, traditional advice has focused on the number of hours a person sleeps. But for older adults, the quality of sleep may affect cognitive performance the following day regardless…
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January 14, 2026 at 3:04 PM
SSRI associate director & professor of biobehavioral health, Orfeu Buxton, led a study that found waking up in the middle of the night impacts cognitive performance regardless of sleep duration. Read On ➡️
Ron Jarmin, Deputy Director of the U.S. Census Bureau wrote about the incredible work that Mark Roberts, former SSRI unit director and PSU faculty, accomplished with several colleagues. Roberts' and colleagues' revolutionized economic measurement at the U.S. Census Bureau. More ➡️
Revolutionizing Economic Measurement At The Census Bureau’s Center For Economic Studies: Pioneering Research On Firm Dynamics, Employment Flows And Transformative Statistical Products | Social Science Research Institute
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January 14, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Ron Jarmin, Deputy Director of the U.S. Census Bureau wrote about the incredible work that Mark Roberts, former SSRI unit director and PSU faculty, accomplished with several colleagues. Roberts' and colleagues' revolutionized economic measurement at the U.S. Census Bureau. More ➡️
@pennstatectsi.bsky.social is hosting a three-part virtual mini-series on team science on the following dates: Thurs. Jan. 29 from 12pm-1pm, Thurs. Feb.12 from 12pm-1pm & Thurs. Feb. 26 from 12pm-1pm.
CTSI to host three-part virtual mini-series on team science | Social Science Research Institute
Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) will host a three-part virtual mini-series focused on team science, led by Susan Simkins, director of Team Science with Penn State CTSI.…
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January 13, 2026 at 3:04 PM
@pennstatectsi.bsky.social is hosting a three-part virtual mini-series on team science on the following dates: Thurs. Jan. 29 from 12pm-1pm, Thurs. Feb.12 from 12pm-1pm & Thurs. Feb. 26 from 12pm-1pm.
According to a new study by Soomi Lee, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, about half of older men suffer from sleep problems, back pain or both. ➡️
Back pain linked to worse sleep years later in men over 65, according to study | Social Science Research Institute
About half of older men suffer from sleep problems, back pain or both, according to Soomi Lee, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State. Lee recently led a study to…
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January 12, 2026 at 3:03 PM
According to a new study by Soomi Lee, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, about half of older men suffer from sleep problems, back pain or both. ➡️
Erica Frankenberg, professor of education & demography & SSRI associate director, was recently named to the 2026 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings list of top 200 U.S.-based university scholars who influence education policy and practice. ➡️
Penn State professor named among most influential in shaping education | Social Science Research Institute
Erica Frankenberg, professor of education (educational leadership) and demography at Penn State and director of the Center for Education and Civil Rights, was recently named to the 2026 RHSU…
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January 9, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Erica Frankenberg, professor of education & demography & SSRI associate director, was recently named to the 2026 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings list of top 200 U.S.-based university scholars who influence education policy and practice. ➡️
SSRI's Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness hosted a forum focused on helping military medics transition into civilian health care. ➡️
Forum focuses on helping military medics transition into civilian health care | Social Science Research Institute
Nearly 50 individuals, including members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, policy staff and representatives from leading health care organizations, attended the Veterans’ Solutions Forum on Dec.…
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January 6, 2026 at 3:02 PM
SSRI's Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness hosted a forum focused on helping military medics transition into civilian health care. ➡️
SSRI has opened applications for its 2026–2027 Mid-Career Research–Practice Partnership Fellows Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen collaborative research that drives real-world impact. ➡️
SSRI Launches Mid-Career Research–Practice Partnership Fellows Program | Social Science Research Institute
The Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) has opened applications for its 2026–2027 Mid-Career Research–Practice Partnership Fellows Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen collaborative…
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January 5, 2026 at 3:02 PM
SSRI has opened applications for its 2026–2027 Mid-Career Research–Practice Partnership Fellows Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen collaborative research that drives real-world impact. ➡️
Nicole Sharkey was recently named the Director of Grants and Contracts for the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI). Congratulations, Nicole! 🎉
Sharkey to lead SSRI Grants and Contracts Office | Social Science Research Institute
Nicole Sharkey was recently named the Director of Grants and Contracts for the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI).
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December 23, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Nicole Sharkey was recently named the Director of Grants and Contracts for the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI). Congratulations, Nicole! 🎉
Missed our last newsletter of 2025? Go check it out right now!
SSRI News - December 15, 2025
External Opportunities
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December 22, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Missed our last newsletter of 2025? Go check it out right now!
SSRI & PRI offices have temporarily relocated to the first floor of Penn State's Land & Water Research Building on Hastings Road. As most of you are aware, a structural incident occurred in Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building on Nov. 12, necessitating our move.
December 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
SSRI & PRI offices have temporarily relocated to the first floor of Penn State's Land & Water Research Building on Hastings Road. As most of you are aware, a structural incident occurred in Susan Welch Liberal Arts Building on Nov. 12, necessitating our move.
SSRI's newest unit, CERAP, presented at a human development conference about using different and innovative community-engaged research designs & approached across multiple developmental periods to investigate various processes among diverse children, youth & families of color.
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CERAP researchers present at recent human development conference | Social Science Research Institute
The Society for the Study of Human Development (SSHD) held their biennial conference in Lexington, KY from October 24-26, 2025. The theme of this year’s conference was Developmental Science for the…
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December 18, 2025 at 3:02 PM
SSRI's newest unit, CERAP, presented at a human development conference about using different and innovative community-engaged research designs & approached across multiple developmental periods to investigate various processes among diverse children, youth & families of color.
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Check out this article SSRI cofund @annepisor.bsky.social wrote for the @us.theconversation.com about federal workers & how they've been building support networks online.
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A hard year for federal workers offers a real-time lesson in resilience | Social Science Research Institute
By Anne Pisor, SSRI cofunded faculty member and assistant professor of anthropology and demography, for "The Conversation"
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December 17, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Check out this article SSRI cofund @annepisor.bsky.social wrote for the @us.theconversation.com about federal workers & how they've been building support networks online.
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