Scientific Programs

IQSS scientific programs focus on areas of inquiry that are of particular interest to their faculty directors and enjoy a close working relationship with IQSS administrative, development, and technical staff.

Social Science One text logo

Social Science One implements a new type of incentive-compatible partnership between academic researchers and the private sector to enable the use of information amassed by companies to address societal issues, while protecting their respective interests and ensuring the highest standards of privacy and data security.

Learn more at the Social Science One website

Center for Geographic Analysis

The Center for Geographic Analysis administers Harvard-wide GIS infrastructure, collects and disseminates spatial datasets, and provides training and consultation in the use of geospatial technologies. 

Learn more at the Center for Geographic Analysis website

Future of Media overlaying a smartphone displaying news

The Future of Media Project is a partnership with HBS aiming to further research and identify implementable solutions to rebalance truth, privacy and power in the media industry.

Read more at the Future of Media website

Lish logo

The Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard (LISH) is spurring the development of a science of innovation through a systematic program of solving real-world technical challenges while simultaneously conducting rigorous scientific research and analysis. 

Learn more at the LISH website

Geometric window next to text "Program on Survey Research" 

The Program on Survey Research encourages and facilitates research and instruction in the theory and practice of survey research, with a mission of enhancing the quality of teaching and research at Harvard. 

Learn more at the Program on Survey Research website

Henry Murray with text "Henry A Murray Research Archive"

The Henry A. Murray Research Archive is a permanent repository for quantitative and qualitative social science data. The collection comprises over 100 TB of numerical datasets, video and audio recordings, interview notes, and other media. 

Learn more at the Henry Murray Archive site

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DLABSS is an online experiments and survey community for social science research.  It is an innovative tool for connecting subject pool participants with researchers conducting surveys and  experiments. 

Learn more at the DLABSS website

Human Flourishing Program logo

The Human Flourishing Program aims to integrate knowledge from the empirical social sciences and the humanities on topics such as religion, virtue, work, purpose, forgiveness, marriage and family.

Learn more at the Human Flourishing Program website

PEBLSS name overlaid on a photo of rocks

The Program on Experience Based Learning in the Social Sciences provides a modern support infrastructure to Harvard programs and faculty that create active learning opportunities for Harvard students. 

Learn more at the PEBLSS website

China Biographical Database Logo

The China Biographical Database (CBDB) is a freely accessible relational database providing biographical information—from Chinese historical records dating to the 7th through 19th centuries—for statistical, social network, and spatial analysis.

Learn more at the CBDB website

Black padlock unlocked by noisy-textured gold key with Data Privacy Insights text

The Privacy Insights Project is developing statistically valid differentially private systems, including OpenDP, that will also protect researchers and society. 

Learn More at the Privacy Insights Project page

data privacy lab

The Data Privacy Lab creates technologies and related policies that balance privacy protection and society's need to collect and share sensitive information for many worthy purposes.

Learn more at the Data Privacy Lab website

Text of "Politics Through Time" overlaid on William Hogarth's painting "The Polling"

The Politics Through Time Program builds a research hub for those interested in studying the historical development of elections and democracy by using recent advances in information technology and data-science. 

Learn more at the Politics Through Time website

Clouds outlined by sunlight with text "The SilverLining Project"

The dark web includes every manner of content, including claims about data breaches exposing personal information. The damage they cause is well known; what is not known, and what the SilverLining Project studies, is whether we can find a silver lining in these dark clouds by creating some social good out of the chaos.

Learn more at the SilverLining website