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University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR) The U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR) is the world's largest academic social science survey an Thank you for following our activities.

Welcome to the official page of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR), the world's largest academic social science survey and research organization. We welcome your opinions, and encourage open discussion about the topics we post. If we become aware of messages that contain commercial advertising, are off-topic, use offensive or inappropriate language, are intended to insult or defame, infringe someone's rights, or are a violation of law, we reserve the right to remove them.

How can social science and artistic practice come together to reshape the way we understand Black progress?On Saturday, ...
10/06/2026

How can social science and artistic practice come together to reshape the way we understand Black progress?

On Saturday, Oct. 10, artist Rick Lowe will join ISR Director Kate Cagney, ISR faculty associate Christian Davenport, and exhibition curator Abigail Winograd at UMMA: University of Michigan Museum of Art for a conversation about Black Wall Street Journey: Re and De Imagining Black Progress.

The exhibition is the culmination of Lowe’s three-year residency at ISR and brings together painting, sculpture, public installation and social research. Drawing on data from ISR’s Panel Study of Income Dynamics and Davenport’s Anti-Black Index, the project examines Black well-being, prosperity, resilience and opportunity through both data and visual form.

Saturday, Oct. 10
1–2:15 p.m.
University of Michigan Museum of Art
Free and open to the public

Join the conversation to hear how researchers, students and artists worked across disciplines to develop Lowe’s largest institutional solo exhibition in the United States.

10/05/2026

Featured on CNN: Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers, joined CNN Newsroom to discuss what the latest decline in consumer sentiment reveals about how Americans are feeling about the economy.

Hsu explains that persistent cost-of-living pressures, rising gas prices and higher interest rates are making consumers more selective about how they spend. She also notes that concerns extend across the political spectrum, with consumers broadly agreeing that the economic outlook has weakened since the beginning of the year.

Watch the CNN interview to hear Hsu break down what the latest Surveys of Consumers findings mean for household finances, spending decisions and the economic outlook ahead.

ISR Director Kate Cagney is helping lead a new University of Michigan effort focused on strengthening how people communi...
10/02/2026

ISR Director Kate Cagney is helping lead a new University of Michigan effort focused on strengthening how people communicate across differences.

As executive lead of the new Center for American Dialogue, Cagney spoke with WEMU about the center’s mission to help people engage in sensitive conversations in productive and constructive ways. Programming will begin later this fall through in-person and online experiences, including games, apps, speaker events and simulations.

“I think this is a pivotal moment to be launching a center of this kind,” Cagney told WEMU.

Listen to the WEMU feature to learn more about the Center for American Dialogue and what’s ahead.

Global health research can improve lives abroad while delivering substantial health and economic benefits here in the U....
10/01/2026

Global health research can improve lives abroad while delivering substantial health and economic benefits here in the U.S.

In a new piece for The Conversation, ISR researcher Josh Ehrlich examines how investments in global health research have led to unexpected medical advances, new treatments and major economic returns. From ivermectin and malaria vaccine technology to cancer treatments and long-term care policy, Ehrlich highlights how research conducted across borders can produce benefits that extend far beyond its original purpose.

Read more about why global health research can be both a public health investment and an economic one.

University of Michigan News

Are you interested in furthering your knowledge in social research and data science? Explore the University of Michigan ...
09/29/2026

Are you interested in furthering your knowledge in social research and data science? Explore the University of Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science (MPSDS) master’s and PhD programs through our live info sessions!

Our program combines rigorous training in survey design, data collection, processing, and analysis, with a unique focus on data quality—a critical yet often overlooked aspect of data science. Our curriculum covers a wide range of data sources, including survey data, social media posts, sensor data, and administrative records, as well as analytic methods for working with these new data sources.

Hear directly from faculty and current students to learn more about the field, program, professional development, and community building:

PhD Info Sessions (register here) - https://myumi.ch/PbQpx

Master’s Info Sessions (register here) - https://myumi.ch/2jX4p

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Consumer sentiment fell in September as high prices, interest rates, fuel costs and trade tensions continued to weigh on...
09/28/2026

Consumer sentiment fell in September as high prices, interest rates, fuel costs and trade tensions continued to weigh on Americans’ views of the economy.

Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, reported that the Consumer Sentiment Index fell to 48.1, its lowest reading in four months.

Read more about the financial pressures shaping consumers’ outlook this month.

Three years of collaboration at the intersection of art and social research are coming together in a new exhibition from...
09/25/2026

Three years of collaboration at the intersection of art and social research are coming together in a new exhibition from Rick Lowe, ISR’s first artist in residence.

Working with ISR Director Kate Cagney, ISR researcher Christian Davenport, students and researchers across U-M, Lowe drew on data from ISR’s Panel Study of Income Dynamics and Davenport’s Anti-Black Index to explore new ways of representing Black progress and well-being.

“Black Wall Street Journey: Re and De Imagining Black Progress” opens Sept. 26 at UMMA and includes 20 new works, research stations and large-scale data tickers installed at both UMMA and ISR.

Learn more about the research, collaboration and ideas behind the exhibition.

UMMA: University of Michigan Museum of Art

ISR’s annual picnic is always a good reminder that the work we do is strengthened by the people we do it with. This week...
09/24/2026

ISR’s annual picnic is always a good reminder that the work we do is strengthened by the people we do it with. This week, colleagues from across the Institute came together to catch up, connect, and enjoy some time as a community.

We’re grateful for the people across ISR whose ideas, collaboration, and dedication continue to move our work forward.

Dementia caregiving can bring long-standing family dynamics, expectations and tensions to the surface, making an already...
09/23/2026

Dementia caregiving can bring long-standing family dynamics, expectations and tensions to the surface, making an already demanding role even more complicated.

ISR researcher Sarah Patterson, a research assistant professor in the Survey Research Center, studies how family relationships and caregiving expectations change as people age.

In a new article, Patterson highlights how planning ahead, communicating about care responsibilities and building broader support networks can help families manage challenges. More than 5 million U.S. adults age 65 and older are currently living with dementia, while family structures and caregiving networks continue to change.

Read more about how family dynamics shape dementia caregiving and why early conversations about care can make a difference.

Researchers studying aging and population health often need neighborhood-level data, but finding and linking those data ...
09/21/2026

Researchers studying aging and population health often need neighborhood-level data, but finding and linking those data to existing surveys can be challenging.

Join a virtual workshop on Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. EDT to learn how to use the National Neighborhood Data Archive (NaNDA), an ISR resource offering free, publicly available neighborhood measures across the United States and multiple decades.

Participants will receive practical guidance on selecting NaNDA datasets, working with geographic identifiers and temporal alignment, and linking neighborhood measures with survey and administrative data for aging research.

Learn more and register for the workshop: https://myumi.ch/G7q9M

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