As the Covid-19 pandemic has laid bare, public health crises are profoundly shaped by social, political, economic, and cultural processes, and vice versa. Building bridges between the social and natural sciences, researchers and practitioners, and world regions, our programs investigate the global and local effects of pressing issues such as disease outbreaks and public health misinformation. We support innovative, collaborative scholarship that crosses traditional professional, geographic, and intellectual boundaries and lays the groundwork to advance health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and develop effective policies across the world.
How We Work
We mobilize scholars to address the major public issues of our time, providing them with the tools to examine disparities and trajectories in public health, well-being, and development, and support researchers to apply their knowledge to timely concerns such as the spread of health misinformation and waning public confidence in science-based health recommendations.
We bridge scholarly borders by developing interdisciplinary networks of researchers and transcend academic boundaries by fostering partnerships between medical and public health professionals and social scientists.
We promote work that addresses critical issues affecting populations across the globe, such as the challenges nations face dealing with pandemic-related health crises, and research that informs and engages with the social and political dimensions of public health crises.
Programs & Projects
The Mercury Project is a global consortium of researchers dedicated to combating the impacts of mis- and disinformation on public health and to finding interventions that support the spread and uptake of accurate health information.
Together, we can build a healthier information environment.
Covid-19 and the Social Sciences seeks to explore how persistent social realities—such as entrenched racism, economic inequality, and the proliferation of misinformation—have shaped present circumstances in the global pandemic.
Measure of America promotes fact-based public debate about well-being and access to opportunity in the United States, focusing on three issues Americans care deeply about: health, education, and standard of living.
DATA2GO.NYC is a free, easy-to-use online mapping and data tool created to help advocates craft effective solutions, target policies and services, campaign for change, and hold elected officials accountable for human progress.
Opportunities
In partnership with the National Science Foundation, the SSRC invites proposals for research that advances scientific knowledge about the impact of public health information on the health and well-being of …