Message from Dean Sheffrin

Dean Steven Sheffrin.

Students and faculty involved in social sciences at UC Davis partake in solving some of the world's most pressing issues through rigorous research and critical analysis. The groundbreaking work done in the division helps all of us become better global citizens.

Modern social scientists often blend quantitative and qualitative approaches in their research. Psychologists, for example, work with researchers in the biological sciences on studies of the nervous system at the Center for Neuroscience. Historians look for the patterns of our past to solve current issues, and economists combine research and theory to interpret today's business and trade. Anthropologists study humanity from both evolutionary and socio-cultural perspectives. Psychologists, linguists, and others provide core membership for the Center for Mind and Brain, whose scientists study verbal and sign language, music, neurology and more. Sociologists study homelessness through careful observation of street life and quantitative analysis, while political scientists plumb public opinion through formal survey research methods and in-depth interviewing.

By exploring the foundations of language, philosophy, communication, decision-making, knowledge and perception, social scientists at UC Davis develop a deeper awareness of the underlying forces shaping contemporary society.

I invite you to browse the division's website to explore how social sciences can make a difference in your life, and how you can make a difference in the social sciences.

Sincerely,
Steven M. Sheffrin
Steven M. Sheffrin
Dean
Division of Social Sciences