Meet the Dean

My journey to UC Santa Cruz has been driven by a passion for understanding and addressing pressing societal issues. As an urban political geographer, my research focuses on topics like transnational migration, refugees and asylum policy, immigrant integration, citizenship, and education. I was drawn to UCSC for its long history of excellent scholarship and engagement that truly makes a difference in the world. The campus’s dedication to addressing big questions—climate change, financial management, or children’s cognitive development—aligned perfectly with my values of equity, power, and access.

For the division, I see this point in time as a critical moment—a time filled with both challenges and opportunities. I’m excited to lead the division through this transformative period, using the resources of the university to support faculty in their research and students in their education. Together, we can work to mitigate the harmful effects of national-level issues and make a real difference in our community and beyond.

One of my main goals is to foster collaboration across academic divisions. I firmly believe that social scientists have valuable contributions to make across disciplines. Whether it’s partnering with engineers to study human-robot interaction or working with scientists to understand the social impacts of climate change, interdisciplinary collaboration is key to addressing complex challenges.

Ultimately, my vision for the Division of Social Sciences is grounded in our commitment to social justice and equity. We are the core of the campus, and together, we will continue to develop strategic initiatives that advance our mission and positively impact the world around us.

Katharyne Mitchell
Dean of the Social Sciences Division