In the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, we study people and their connections with each other and the world. Our faculty and students are working to understand and advance solutions to the major challenges of our times, including political conflict, poverty, and climate change. Our research is interdisciplinary and essential, involving multiple methodologies. Below are major research themes in the College of SBS.
Building Healthy Societies
Health issues in society cannot be adequately addressed without the contributions of social scientists. SBS researchers are examining the behavioral, environmental, and social dynamics of health, including issues related to health communication, poverty, loneliness, health disparities, and opioid addiction.
Read more about our health-related research.
Exploring our Environment
SBS scholars explore the complex relationship between people and their environments, including global climate change, the sustainability of cities, and water resources. From using satellite data and remote sensing data to writing poetry about nature, SBS scholars bring fresh perspectives to environmental issues.
Read more about our research on the environment.
Decoding Language and Technology
SBS scholars provide important insights into language – how we learn it, how it’s structured, and how we use it to form group identity and maintain relationships. Researchers also examine the interface of people and technology, including helping computers understand language, the basis of machine learning and artificial intelligence, and the impact of technology and social media in our lives.
Read more about our language and technology research.
Demystifying Institutions
Governments, law enforcement, the media – large institutions have their own structure and influence over our culture, with the power to reinforce inequality. Researchers in SBS examine such topics as the way government leaders are chosen, policing, the science of science, media representation of diverse groups, and much more.
Read more about our research on institutions.
Illuminating the Human Experience
SBS scholars strive to understand and reflect the human experience throughout time. From creative writing to philosophy to consciousness studies, SBS explores how people think and experience the world. SBS researchers also uncover and interpret the events and societies of the past to help us learn more about the human condition.
Read more about our research on the human experience.
Investigating International Issues
In SBS, we analyze complex international issues, including immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border, the Israeli-Hamas war, and food insecurity in Africa. In today’s global society, insights into international affairs are essential to advancing a just world.
Read more about our research on international issues.