SSD Academic Year 2025-26 Leadership Transitions Announced

On Friday, June 13, 2025, Amanda Woodward, Dean of the Division of the Social Sciences and William S. Gray Distinguished Service Professor, announced department and committee chair leadership transitions for the 2025-2026 Academic Year.

In her message to the SSD community, she noted, “Our success depends upon the contributions of time, attention and vision of our colleagues who serve in these roles.  I am grateful to those whose appointments in leadership roles are now ending and to those who now take on these responsibilities in the years ahead.”

From Woodward's announcement:

In the Department of History, Susan Burns will begin a 3-year term as Chair beginning July 1, 2025. I am grateful to Adrian Johns for his dedicated and thoughtful leadership throughout his years of service in this role.

In the John U. Nef Committee on Social Thought, Gabriel Lear will return for another 3-year term as Chair beginning July 1, 2025. I thank Joel Isaac for his outstanding leadership as Interim Chair this past year.

In the Department of Sociology, Andreas Glaeser will return for another 3-year term as Chair beginning July 1, 2025. I thank Julian Go for his outstanding leadership as Interim Chair this past year.

In the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity, Adom Getachew will begin a 1-year term as Interim Chair on July 1, 2025. I am grateful to Cathy Cohen for her remarkable and consequential service as Inaugural Chair since the Department’s founding in 2022.  Adrienne Brown will begin a 1-year term as Associate Chair in RDI on July 1, 2025. I thank Leora Auslander for her insightful and essential work as Associate Chair during the Department’s first years.

In the Committee on Education, Lesley Turner has been appointed Interim Chair for a 1-year term beginning July 1, 2025. I thank Guanglei Hong for her leadership of the Committee. She will return to the chairship following her research leave next year.

In the Committee on Quantitative Methods in Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences, Steve Durlauf will continue as Chair for another 1-year term beginning on July 1, 2025. Geoff Wodtke will begin a 3-year term as Chair beginning on July 1, 2026.

Claudia Brittenham will begin a 3-year term as Director of the Center for Latin American Studies after completing a 1-year term as Interim Director.

David Gallo will continue as Chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Institute Review Board for another 3-year term beginning on July 1, 2025.

Paul Poast will continue as Director of the Summer Institute on Social Research Methods for another 3-year term beginning on July 1, 2025.

Renewing their appointments this year are: Michael Albertus, who will continue as Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs for a second 3-year term beginning on September 1, 2025; Leslie Kay, who will continue as Deputy Dean for Research for a second 3-year term beginning on July 1, 2025; and Jon Rogowski, who will continue as Faculty Director of Master’s Programs in the Social Sciences for a further 2-year term beginning on July 1, 2025. They join Howard Nusbaum, Social Sciences Collegiate Division Master, and Paul Poast, Deputy Dean for Doctoral Education, who are continuing in their current terms.