Social Sciences (Faculty & Staff)

Payal Hathi, a PhD student in Demography and Sociology, co-authors a major scientific article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

April 4, 2022

Payal Hathi, a PhD student in Demography and Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley and a Research Fellow at r.i.c.e., co-authors a major scientific article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

“This timely contribution has broad implications for global population health,” said Chair of the Demography Department at UC Berkeley,...

A New Program is Launched in Cognitive Science Thanks to a Generous Gift

March 14, 2022

“People have been discussing the idea of a graduate program in Cognitive Science at Berkeley since at least the early 90s,” says Terry Regier, a Professor of Linguistics and a previous director of the Cognitive Science program. This long-hoped-for goal will finally come true, in the form of a PhD designated emphasis (DE), thanks to support from the Social Science Division, the Institute of Cognitive and Brain Sciences (ICBS), the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, and a generous gift from Metta Murdaya ‘97 (Architecture and Cognitive Science).

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Berkeley political scientist Paul Pierson named to prestigious U.S. academy

March 14, 2022

Paul Pierson, an influential UC Berkeley scholar and author focused on the challenges confronting American democracy, has been named a fellow of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS).

Pierson will be one of seven “extraordinarily accomplished” scholars inducted at a ceremony later this year, the AAPSS announced today. He has been a prolific scholar and analyst, with recent work exploring how the nation’s dysfunctional politics threaten the well-being of its people and...

Berkeley Talks: Mapping the brain to understand health, aging and disease

March 14, 2022

In episode 136 of Berkeley Talks, UC Berkeley psychology professor Jack Gallant discusses functional brain mapping for understanding health, aging and disease.

“So, why do we really need brain mapping?” asked Gallant during the Jan. 20 lecture, part of a series celebrating the 100th anniversary of Berkeley Psychology. “There’s a simple reason. And I like to describe this as brain metamers. The brain is a big place. There are 80 billion neurons. All of these neurons are connected together in very, very dense networks. There are hundreds of different brain areas. Each area...

Matrix on Point The War in Ukraine and Its Consequences

March 14, 2022

In the last three weeks, Russia’s political ambitions in Ukraine have escalated into a full-fledged invasion and war. As politicians attempt to negotiate a ceasefire, thousands of soldiers and hundreds of civilians have likely been killed, and more than two million people have fled the country into neighboring Poland, Hungary, Romania, and other countries. The conflict has upended international relations, raised questions about the dependence of the United States and Europe on Russian fossil fuels, and strained infrastructures of refugee assistance and resettlement. How does the war...

Innovation Matters: Competition Policy for the High-Tech Economy

February 15, 2022

What’s wrong with antitrust policy for regulating the tech sector? In his new book, Innovation Matters: Competition Policy for the High-Technology Economy, Richard Gilbert, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Economics at UC Berkeley, argues that regulators should be considering the effects of mergers and monopolies on innovation, rather than price.

From 1993 to 1995, Gilbert served as Deputy...

Berkeley Economics professors launch a tool to track inequality in real time

February 1, 2022

UC Berkeley economists have launched a powerful new web tool that allows users to track, almost in real time, how economic growth and public policy affect the distribution of income and wealth among classes in the United States.

Berkeley Economics alum nominated as a governor of the Federal Reserve System

January 18, 2022

Michigan State University economist and professor Lisa D. Cook today was nominated by President Joe Biden to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. If confirmed, Cook will be the first Black woman to serve on the board in its 108-year history. Professor Cook is an economist at Michigan State University who has researched racial disparities and labor markets.

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Benjamin Hermalin chosen as next Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

January 12, 2022
Cal Message from the Chancellor's Office

Dear Campus Community,

I am pleased to announce that Benjamin E. Hermalin has been chosen to serve as our next executive vice chancellor and provost following a competitive national search that attracted a large number of highly qualified candidates. Ben will begin transitioning into the role over the next several months, with his appointment effective on July 1, 2022.

Ben currently serves as the vice provost for the faculty. In this role, he has done an outstanding job overseeing all...