NewsGoroff brings a distinguished record as a scholar, leader, and champion of social science research — at Harvard and Harvey Mudd, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the White House — to helm one of the world’s foremost social science institutions
New York, NY — May 18, 2026
At a pivotal moment for democracy, science, and the public good, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) has named Daniel Goroff as its 16th president. Goroff, a leading figure in social science, philanthropy, and science policy, will assume the presidency on July 1, 2026.
“We are delighted to announce the selection of Daniel Goroff as President of the SSRC,” said William Janeway, SSRC Board Chair. “With the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Danny has been an effective and creative funder of frontier social science for many years. Moreover, he has a distinctive track record of bridging academia and the public sector through past service at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation. As the Council advances from its centenary in these tumultuous times, we have found in Danny an exceptional leader to build on the SSRC’s legacy of interdisciplinary knowledge for the public good.”
Goroff joins the SSRC following a distinguished tenure as vice president and program director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, where he conceived, incubated, and supported hundreds of social science research projects. He has also served as Deputy Director for Science and Society at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and as Division Director for Social and Economic Sciences at the National Science Foundation. Earlier in his career, he held faculty positions at Harvard University and Harvey Mudd College, where he served as dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs. He holds degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and Boston University, and earned his Ph.D. from Princeton.
Throughout his career, Goroff has been a consistent advocate for rigorous research, institutional innovation, and evidence-based policymaking. He has contributed to the founding of major initiatives including the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science, the Science Philanthropy Alliance, the Societal Experts Action Network, J-PAL North America, and the Economic Measurement Research Institute, and has testified before the U.S. Congress on economic and research policy. He was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has received honors including the 2020 Links Lecture Award from the American Statistical Association and the 2023 Leadership Award from the International Conference on the Science of Science and Innovation.
Stacie Bloom, President and CEO of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, noted the longstanding relationship between the foundation and the Council. “For thirty years, the Sloan Foundation has found an indispensable partner in the SSRC. We are thrilled and proud that Danny will lead such a vital institution, and we all look forward to working with him and the SSRC in the future.”
Alondra Nelson, past president of the SSRC and Harold F. Linder Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, spoke to Dr. Goroff’s record of service to the public and to the research community. “The SSRC has always been at its best when it bridges scholarly innovation and public purpose — and in Daniel Goroff, the Council has found a leader who embodies exactly that commitment. Danny’s record at the Sloan Foundation, at NSF, and at OSTP speaks for itself: a consistent champion of rigorous research, institutional creativity, and the conviction that social inquiry matters for democratic life. Social science has never been more urgently needed, and the SSRC has never been better positioned to meet that moment.”
Goroff takes the helm of an institution building on more than a century of leadership. The SSRC advances the conviction that strong democracies, just societies, and shared prosperity depend on ever-deeper understanding of complex social, cultural, economic, technological, and civic dynamics. Today, it is expanding its role as a global convener — bringing together practitioners, policymakers, and scholars across disciplines and sectors to translate research into action, strengthen capacity, and broaden access to knowledge in service of the public good.
For more than a century, the Social Science Research Council has been a force for good by fostering inquiry, marshaling evidence, and helping turn research insights into public impact. Today’s global challenges call for even more and better ideas about how people can live, work, and thrive together. With humility and a deep sense of responsibility to our academic and philanthropic partners, I see the SSRC as having a unique role to play — building on our storied past, on our extraordinary portfolio of current work, and on the bold new initiatives we will launch together.
— Daniel Goroff, Incoming President, SSRC
“It has been a great pleasure to lead this search, and it is an honor to announce the selection of Dr. Goroff,” said Naomi Lamoreaux, Chair of the SSRC’s Executive Committee. “He deeply understands the connection between rigorous social science research and the development of knowledge for the public good, as well as the key role the SSRC plays in the infrastructure for social science and humanities research. With the work of the Council more critical than ever, Danny is an ideal leader to steward the organization’s next chapter.”
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About the Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council (SSRC) is an independent, international, nonprofit organization founded in 1923. The Council fosters innovative research, nurtures new generations of social scientists, deepens how inquiry is practiced within and across disciplines, and mobilizes necessary knowledge on important public issues.
The SSRC is guided by the belief that justice, prosperity, and democracy all require better understanding of complex social, cultural, economic, and political processes. We work with practitioners, policymakers, and academic researchers in the social sciences, the humanities, the natural sciences, and related professions. We build interdisciplinary and international networks, working with partners around the world to link research to practice and policy, strengthen individual and institutional capacities for learning, and enhance public access to information.
Media Inquiries: communications@ssrc.org