Frequently Asked Questions

What is Social Science Matrix?

Social Science Matrix (or Matrix, for short) is a research center established to seed and incubate cutting-edge interdisciplinary social science across the UC Berkeley campus. Through our sponsored research teams, events, and other programming, Matrix brings together researchers around shared questions that demand diverse perspectives and methods. Our aim is to ensure that UC Berkeley remains a leader at a time of unprecedented opportunity for social scientists, by bridging ideas, insights, and methodologies from across disciplines to tackle globally significant issues.

What services does Matrix provide?

    • Research Teams: We sponsor different types of research teams. Matrix Research Teams are two-semester trans-disciplinary collaborations meant to spur a tangible outcome, such as a conference or co-publication. Research teams typically have between 4-10 faculty members and graduate students (and in some cases undergrads) from multiple disciplines. Prospecting Teams are one-semester programs, and are primarily intended for faculty to define a research program.
    • Grant Services: Matrix wants to remove the administrative burdens that often prevent faculty from pursuing cross-discplinary research initiatives. We provide help with facilitating research for principal investigators (PIs), including identifying funding opportunities; contacting program officers; assisting with proposal writing and research team building; acting as a liaison with the university administration and sponsoring agencies; and serving as an organizational home for research projects, including helping to provide administrative review as necessary but also helping to promote and disseminate findings.
    • Projects: Social Science Matrix funds projects to support our understanding of the rapidly evolving social science landscape. For example, Matrix led the development of the Berkeley Research Network Graph, a navigable tool for identifying and visualizing the patterns of interdisciplinary research collaborations taking place among social-science researchers at UC Berkeley.
    • Communications: Through our website and other media channels, we are helping get the word out about the exciting, groundbreaking social-science research emerging from across the UC Berkeley campus.

What are some examples of Matrix Research Teams?

Since our inception in 2013, we have sponsored a variety of research teams, focused on important topics such as the human rights to water and sanitation; the intersection of race and biologybehavior change and measurement; the neuroscience of decision-making; and many other topics. Click here to learn about our current Research Teams.

I’m interested in organizing a Matrix Research Team. What do I do?

If you are a faculty member or graduate student interested in coordinating a Matrix research team, click here to determine whether we are currently accepting proposals for Matrix Research Teams. Or you can visit this page to learn about our past and present research teams.

Does Matrix have any jobs available?

We occasionally have positions available, including for undergraduate and graduate students at UC Berkeley. Please see our jobs page for updates.

How can I stay informed about what Matrix is up to?

If you have any questions, please free to contact us at socialsciencematrix@berkeley.edu. You can stay connected with us through Twitter, and you can also sign up here to receive our newsletter to keep informed about upcoming events, news, and opportunities.

How can I support Matrix?

Matrix is a research unit within the UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science. Individuals and foundations can donate to Matrix directly. Please e-mail Eva Seto for more information.

Where is Matrix located?

Matrix is located on the eighth floor of the Social Sciences Building (formerly Barrows Hall), on the southern edge of the UC Berkeley campus. The elevator to our entrance is located on the east end of the building. You can alternately take an elevator to the seventh floor and come up the stairs.