Research Focal Areas

Fertility declines since the ’60s and improvements in health care have resulted in rapidly aging global populations. This focal area explores why and how these changes in population size and ratios have had dramatic effects on demographic distribution, living conditions, family structures, fiscal balances, and a whole host of other factors that are key to human welfare.

Our work in this area focuses on a diverse and broad set of research questions, largely geared toward understanding and improving the well-being of marginalized populations, and advancing knowledge related to social mobility. Our Social Demography Series provides a lively forum for scholars from across the university (and beyond) to discuss in-progress social scientific and population research.

Over the last 15 years, we’ve been engaged with research that investigates (and reimagines) how employee well-being can be better supported through policies and strategies that create a healthier and more productive labor force.