Many research collaborations begin with a simple conversation.
The Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI) serves as the University of Iowa’s hub for interdisciplinary social science research, connecting researchers through residency programs, writers’ circles, workshops, and social events. Those interactions lead to new research ideas, funded projects, and mentoring relationships, and, ultimately, high-impact social science research.
“Some of the most promising research begins when people with different expertise discover a shared question,” said Mark Berg, CSSI director. “Creating opportunities for those conversations is one of the ways we hope to help researchers develop new ideas and build collaborations that might not otherwise occur.”
CSSI's community currently includes 67 researcher affiliates representing 25 departments and schools across nine colleges.
The experiences of several affiliates illustrate how connections made through CSSI initiatives can grow into lasting collaborations.
Sang Jung Kim expands research agenda through network of collaborators
Over the past year, Sang Jung Kim, assistant professor of journalism and mass communication, expanded her research by building a network of collaborators across multiple colleges, including business, education, and nursing. Those connections evolved from her involvement in several CSSI activities and programs.
“CSSI played a pivotal role in expanding my research agenda,” said Kim. “Its initiatives fostered collaborations across colleges and enabled me to focus more specifically on how AI shapes communication, relationships, and social life.”
During the Summer Researcher-in-Residence program, Kim met Ken Brown, professor of management, laying the foundation for an ongoing research collaboration. Recently, they partnered with Allison Levine, associate professor of counselor education, on a project that received funding to support a national survey examining how parents can better understand adolescents’ use of AI and its mental health implications.
Last year, Kim formed another research team through CSSI’s Research Convergence Residency Program. Kim joined Haelim Jeong, assistant professor of social work; Chooza Moon, associate professor of nursing; and Rachel Young, associate professor of journalism and mass communication to develop and deploy a national survey on the use of AI chatbots for companionship and social support. The team is finalizing a manuscript for publication and plans to use the data as preliminary evidence for a competitive external grant proposal.
Collaborations expand across campus
Like Kim, many other researcher affiliates across the university have developed new collaborations through CSSI programs and events.
Bogdan Kapatsila, assistant professor of planning and public affairs, met Shannon Watkins, associate professor of community and behavioral health, through CSSI’s Grant Writers’ Circle. Along with Megan Gilster, associate professor of social work, the team developed a proposal for CSSI’s Research Convergence Residency Program to examine whether public transit improvements can improve health care access and reduce stress.
“Seed funding, like the one CSSI offers, can be a great facilitator for launching new projects,” Kapatsila said.
Their project later received funding from the Obermann Center and the Office of the Vice President for Research. The team completed data collection and is preparing to submit a paper and pursue larger funding using the preliminary results.
For Amy Colbert, professor of management and entrepreneurship, participation in CSSI’s Social Determinants of Health Micro Lab led to an ongoing collaboration with Nicholas Bowman, professor of educational policy and leadership, and Sarah Harkness, associate professor of sociology and criminology. The team recently had a conference paper accepted on social and relational connections that blends their interdisciplinary perspectives.
CSSI’s Micro Lab also sparked a collaboration for Aynsley Scheffert, assistant professor of social work, that resulted in a project funded by the Iowa Institute for Artificial Intelligence. She teamed up with Sarah Harkness, Shaoping Xiao, professor of mechanical engineering, Megan Ronnenberg, assistant professor of social work, and Chelsea Howland, assistant professor of nursing. They are investigating whether county-level care coordination initiatives are associated with how people rate their own health.
“The CSSI Micro Lab brought together researchers with complementary expertise who likely would not have crossed paths otherwise,” Scheffert said. “It provided the space to identify a shared research question, build an interdisciplinary team, and develop a collaborative project that quickly grew into a funded pilot study."
As CSSI continues to bring researchers together, it hopes to foster new partnerships that lead to innovative research and meaningful solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.
Learn about CSSI’s research incubation opportunities.
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