Social Science Research Center at MSU celebrates 75 years

Contact: Emile Pennington

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University’s Social Science Research Center celebrated its 75th anniversary Thursday [Nov. 6], recognizing decades of influential research locally, nationally and around the globe.

“Since its founding in 1950 by the illustrious Dr. John K. Bettersworth, the SSRC has been a leader in using research to address the great challenges we face as a state, nation and world,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “Our university is a research powerhouse and major economic engine, and the research that takes place here is such a critical part of that.”

The SSRC conducts multi-method research, evaluations and services on public health, criminal justice, early childhood and rural education issues. As a part of the university community, the center secures funding, integrates students into research projects, and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration. 

“In the 1950s, a group of MSU social scientists started meeting as the Social Science Round Table. They believed that the state could benefit from the insights of social scientists. From those early dinner meetings to plan collaborations, the SSRC was formed,” said Devon Brenner, SSRC director. “Today our researchers are impacting the lives of people in areas such as public health, juvenile justice and early childhood education through a commitment to unbiased, evidence-based research and a focus on multi-disciplinary collaboration.”

Keenum also presented Brenner with a certificate honoring the SSRC’s 75th anniversary, commending the center for its outstanding research and exemplary service to Mississippi State University. In addition, the center’s newest cohort of 20 research fellows was recognized.

The center has several long-lasting initiatives. The Wolfgang Frese Survey Research Laboratory has made hundreds of thousands of phone calls to ask questions about the impact of state agency programs and views on topics ranging from charter schools to knowledge of bird species to tobacco use. The Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program has been seeking to reduce DUI recidivism and enhance traffic safety for over 50 years. As the state’s mandated driver improvement program for offenders, it holds over 400 classes in 39 locations each year.

Additionally, the SSRC has worked for decades producing reports that educate policymakers, state agencies and the public on topics such as the status of families and children, youth tobacco use, and traffic safety data.

For more information on the SSRC, visit ssrc.msstate.edu. 

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.