UC Santa Cruz is an R1 research institution, recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education for having among the highest levels of research activity anywhere in the country. In the Social Sciences Division, our faculty regularly win major federal, state, and foundation grant awards to support their research, publish in top journals, and receive prestigious awards and fellowships recognizing their innovation and leadership in their fields. 

But what we’re most proud of isn’t our long list of accolades. It’s the real-world impact that our research generates. Like when our research informs new policy efforts that get enacted into law. Or when companies adopt sustainability solutions that we developed. Or when our insights change how people think about the world and how they go about their daily lives. Those are our proudest moments, and they’re what our unique approach to research is designed to achieve. Explore the resources below to learn more about our research impact and the research initiatives across our division that help to make it happen.  

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Research Impact

Discover how we leverage our unique research strengths—like combining methods to generate deeper insights, modeling ethical research practices, and delivering effective solutions—and explore our latest research news.   

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Research Initiatives

The Social Sciences Division houses 14 exceptional research units that work to foster interdisciplinary collaboration across issues ranging from urbanization to organic agriculture to worker organizing. Our departments and programs also support many additional initiatives.