A Word from our Center Director
The Social Science Research Center continues to have a profound impact within and beyond Mississippi. Our research and public service projects are a testament to the importance of multidisciplinary scholarship, objective research and evaluation, and collaboration to improve systems. Our work ranges from analysis of social media misinformation using machine learning and AI to analyze large datasets to small group learning sessions with rural childcare providers. We have created data dashboards tracking the impact of tobacco use reduction programming, and we have worked with judges in counties across the state to implement and evaluate programs aimed at reducing youth incarceration.
We are conducting surveys about healthy behaviors and teaching classes about alcohol safety in nearly every county in the state. We have longstanding partnerships with state and federal agencies and brand-new funding from competitive national grants and Mississippi foundations. What connects all of our disparate projects in public health, criminal justice, STEM education and early childhood, food and water security, and gender equity is our commitment to using social science tools to generate evidence to inform policy and practice and our dedication to interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex systems.
The depth and breadth of our work at the SSRC means we have a huge impact—not just through our research and public service programs, but as a partner and employer. We currently employ 83 student workers who collect and analyze data, develop communications and reports, and support our ongoing projects, including several students participating in the university’s BRIDGES program, which provides meaningful research experiences to underrepresented students in university research centers. Through the Wolfgang Friese Survey Research Lab and the Mississippi Alcohol Safety and Education Program, we provide part-time employment to over 100 individuals from a variety of backgrounds across the state. Our commitment to learning and growth can be seen by 18 of our research professionals working toward advanced degrees in sociology, political science, education, early intervention, and health promotion. We have served on state legislative advisory committees and advisory boards, generated data to drive public policy and practice, and participated in national and international economic development work. Just one measure of our impact—this year, I’ll be serving as the president of the National Rural Education Association, the primary professional organization for rural schools in the U.S.
We have created systems that support both full-time SSRC faculty and affiliated faculty from across campus and at our partner institutions in achieving their goals. Our exceptional staff has helped us to apply for and win over $10 million in new projects and awards in the past year, and our secure IT systems experienced less than 24 hours of downtime. Our social media reach and newsletters are growing, and we hope you are following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. We are always welcoming new initiatives and partnerships, and we look forward to collaborating in 2025.