Institute for Social Research (ISR) - University of Michigan
Institute for Social Research (ISR) — a global leader in social science.
Exploring politics, health, inequality, and more at the University of Michigan.
- Property taxes fund local services, but fragmented tax bases can create stark inequality across neighboring jurisdictions. Join us Feb 12 for ISR Insights with Robert Manduca on 138M geocoded tax records and municipal tax havens. Watch the preview video: myumi.ch/Xyede
- Black History Month at ISR means advancing research that documents inequities and supports Black lives and futures. Happy Black History Month!
- Today’s panel on organizational insights from the Berlin Philharmonic explored leadership, collaboration, and performance across music, management, and social science. Special thanks to our panelists Stefan Dohr, Gretchen Spreitzer, Matthew VanBesien, and Mark Clague for a great conversation!
- How do sidewalks and neighborhood design affect aging? ISR researcher Philippa Clarke shows how curb cuts and uneven pavement shape mobility, safety, and aging in place. Watch the video to hear Philippa Clarke explain how community design shapes everyday aging experiences!
- Who should care for older adults, especially when dementia is involved? New ISR research led by @spattersearch.bsky.social finds strong expectations for family caregiving, even as families shrink and needs grow. Learn more about this study on caregiving expectations: myumi.ch/kPEqj
- @umichstonecid.bsky.social at ISR has received a 5 million dollar gift from the Stone Foundation to advance research on wealth inequality and mobility. Learn more about this gift to the Stone Center: myumi.ch/Nr4pD
- New ISR consumer sentiment data show a small January uptick, but overall views remain well below last year as many households feel squeezed by high prices and worry about jobs. Survey director Joanne Hsu explains how inflation, incomes, and tariffs are shaping these cautious outlooks.
- The Shades of ISR Pantone ™️ palette 💙 💛
- The deadline for ISR’s Junior Professional Researcher Program is approaching. ISR Director Kate Cagney recently highlighted how JPR launches social science research careers in a Look to Leadership column. Apply by February 1, 2026! Read the article: myumi.ch/kP5Qk
- The application portal is now open for the 2026 Summer Data Immersion Program, hosted by the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer's Disease, using #PSIDdata. Join us at @umisr.bsky.social in May. #Umich #AcademicSky #PSID Apply by Monday, Feb. 2: myumi.ch/mRWPj
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- Thank you to everyone who attended State of the I today. ISR faculty, staff, and students filled the atrium and overflow room as leadership reflected on recent accomplishments, shared priorities for the year ahead, and reaffirmed our commitment to research in the public interest. #GoBlue
- Happy State of the I day to those who celebrate! Today ISR leadership is sharing key updates, recent achievements, and future goals for the Institute for Social Research. Stay tuned for photos from the event later today.
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- For Martin Luther King Jr Day, join Extending the Legacy: Innovations of the 25 Year Follow up of the National Survey of American Life, a hybrid event on what 25 years of data reveal about stress, resilience, and dementia in Black communities Join us at 2 pm at ISR or virtually!
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- How do housing tax policies shape racial inequality? Join the @umichstonecid.bsky.social at ISR on Jan 14, 12:00–1:30 p.m. in ISR 6050 for @joelabriola.bsky.social talk on the mortgage interest deduction and the White Black wealth gap. Learn more: inequality.umich.edu/speaker-seri...
- What teens think their peers are doing can shape their behavior. ISR researcher Richard Miech explains how @mtfstudy.bsky.social data helps schools, families, and communities better understand teen drug use and support healthier outcomes. Watch now: myumi.ch/P3Rw5
- Ready to launch your social science career? ISR’s Junior Professional Researcher (JPR) Program is a full time paid opportunity offering hands on research experience, mentorship from ISR faculty, and professional training at the world’s largest social science research institute.
- Applications for the 2026 cohort open January 1. Explore your future in research and apply: myumi.ch/79Gg3
- New U-M research from ISR’s Sasha Killewald finds that women now earn about 85% of men’s hourly wages, up from 65% in the mid 1980s, and about 8% of that narrowing is linked to having fewer children. Learn more: myumi.ch/kPWeG
- ISR gathered yesterday for our annual winter party, bringing colleagues together to reflect on the past year, celebrate our shared work, and enjoy time together outside of the day to day. It was a great opportunity to connect across centers and mark the season together!
- New U-M survey led by ISR’s Bob Marans and Noah Webster with the Graham Sustainability Institute found that nearly 6,000 students, faculty, and staff across all three campuses report strong engagement with sustainable behaviors and climate awareness. Read more: myumi.ch/y1Wy8
- Despite steady spending, consumer sentiment has dropped sharply in 2025. ISR’s Joanne Hsu, director of the Surveys of Consumers, notes that Americans are still anchored to pre-pandemic prices and “haven’t collectively come to grips” with lasting increases. Read more: myumi.ch/3RJEz
- TODAY AT NOON: What do chronic viruses reveal about our health and social lives? ISR’s Grace Noppert shares her research on how infections like herpes reflect the impact of inequality and early-life environments. Learn more: events.umich.edu/event/136462
- What do chronic viruses say about our lives? TOMORROW: Join ISR researcher Grace Noppert as she explores how chronic infections, like herpes, reveal the long-term effects of our social environments. Watch the preview: youtube.com/watch?si=54hVuSKsV9klUzbu&v=UYCfPaR5F3s&feature=youtu.be
- Last week, we hosted ISR’s Ethan Kross for a fireside chat on emotion science and his book "Shift" Kross explored how we can use science to manage our emotions and improve our lives. Watch now: myumi.ch/e3q3A Like this event? Don’t miss the next ISR Insights talk: events.umich.edu/event/136462
- Suzanne Perkins, research assistant professor at ISR’s RCGD, is using neuroscience to understand how childhood maltreatment impacts learning. Learn more about Suzanne and her incredible work in this feature by Future of Learning: myumi.ch/3RXZ1
- 🔍 Discover the Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science at the University of Michigan, with Sunghee Lee, research professor and director of MPSDS. 📊 Ready to shape the future with data? Learn more at: surveydatascience.isr.umich.edu Watch the video: myumi.ch/VVZmN #GoBlue #SurveyScience
- #LookToMichigan and the University of Michigan @umisrcps.bsky.social Center for Political Studies for leading work on democracy, civic, and global engagement. Repost & follow our research on *both* Bluesky and LinkedIn! @umisr.bsky.social www.linkedin.com/company/1066...
- ISR’s Noura Insolera explains how PSID’s decades of data reveal when and how families fall into or out of food insecurity. Watch here: myumi.ch/rAMm6
- This May 6-8 (2026), I will be offering a three-day online short course on practical tools for the analysis of complex sample survey data (with weights, strata, clusters, replicate weights, etc.) via Statistical Horizons: statisticalhorizons.com/seminars/ana... Click the link for additional info!
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- A new Wall Street Journal article highlights growing divergence in economic sentiment. ISR's Joanne Hsu explains why stock market gains lift wealthy Americans’ confidence and spending, while others feel left behind. Read more in the Wall Street Journal: myumi.ch/79kyz
- A recent Forbes article features ISR’s Joanne Hsu on signs of a “K-shaped” economy. Hsu notes growing frustration as consumers face persistent high prices, with many low-income households reporting worsening personal finances while higher earners continue to spend. Read more: myumi.ch/rAzxx
- Join us Nov. 11 at ISR for Laura Tach's in-person talk hosted by @umichstonecid.bsky.social on the impact of federal place-based policies and neighborhood inequality. RSVP now to attend: inequality.umich.edu/laura-tach/
- DMACS finds Detroiters who are optimistic about the city are more likely to vote, with key priorities including schools, safety, and housing. Read more: myumi.ch/e3dnM #Detroit #voting #science #survey #housing
- johnkubale.bsky.social, Research Assistant Professor at ISR’s ICPSR, shares how new data sources, like cell phone mobility and wastewater surveillance, can improve infectious disease tracking in rural areas. Watch now: myumi.ch/XyDWR
- ISR economist Dean Yang joins NPR’s Planet Money to unpack the surprising surge, and looming drop, in U.S. remittances to low-income countries. His insights reveal how U.S. immigration policy changes could ripple across global economies, especially in Central America. Listen now: myumi.ch/A1m8J
- From idea to adaptive intervention: ISR’s @d3center.bsky.social and Rogel Cancer Center launch MAPCI, an NCI-funded program training researchers to design adaptive cancer studies. Free Feb 24–27 2026 institute in Ann Arbor. Apply by Nov 14: www.mapci.space
- Despite limited federal data due to the shutdown, ISR’s Surveys of Consumers continues offering critical insights into the U.S. economy. In a new Q&A, ISR's Joanne Hsu explains why consumer sentiment has remained stable and what to watch moving forward. Read more: myumi.ch/Mk574
- Happening now at ISR: The two-day conference Complexity in the Social World - The Challenging Case of Structural Racism. Day 1 brings together interdisciplinary scholars to explore new frameworks for understanding complex social phenomena. #ISRComplexity2025
- A new study from ISR’s Joelle Abramowitz links high pollen days to increased suicide risk, especially among those with mental health conditions. Findings suggest pollen may trigger deeper vulnerabilities than just allergies. Read more: myumi.ch/QwkND
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- Flavored cannabis vaping is now the top method of cannabis use among teens. ISR’s Richard Miech says the shift raises serious public health concerns. Learn more from Monitoring the Future's latest findings: myumi.ch/g3ExG
- What do rural neighborhoods reveal about respiratory health risks? ISR researcher, Grace Noppert, explores how community conditions shape outcomes, and why these overlooked areas matter. Learn more: myumi.ch/z96j8
