Book Talk
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Event Date: May 5th, 2026
4:00pm-5:15pm
The Irrational Decision: How We Gave Computers the Power to Choose for Us
Join us on May 5 for a talk on "The Irrational Decision: How We Gave Computers the Power to Choose for Us," by Benjamin Recht, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley. The conversation will be moderated by Marion Fourcade, Professor of Sociology and Director of Social Science Matrix.
Learn More >Matrix Teach-In
Recap
Published March 3, 2026
Matrix Teach-In: Ula Taylor, “The Making of Frances M. Beal’s Black Feminist House”
Recorded on February 19, 2026, this video presents a lecture by Ula Taylor, Professor and Chair of the Department of African American Studies & African Diaspora Studies. The talk centered on Professor Taylor’s current work in progress, an oral biography of Frances M. Beal. The talk was a Matrix Teach-In, a series designed to bring UC Berkeley’s most engaging social science lectures into a public setting.
Learn More >Matrix On Point
Recap
Published March 3, 2026
Matrix on Point: Corruption in America
Watch the video (or listen to the podcast) of our recent Matrix on Point panel focused on "Corruption in America," featuring leading scholars from business, political science, and law to examine the many facets of corruption in the United States and the ways it is identified, constrained, and addressed.
Learn More >Matrix News
Funding Opportunity
Published February 25, 2026
Applications Open: 2026-2027 Research Teams, Iris Hui Memorial Scholarship
Social Science Matrix is pleased to present two funding opportunities: for 2026-2027 Matrix Research Teams, and for the Iris Hui Memorial Scholarship.
Learn More >Interview
Podcast
Published February 3, 2026
“Some College” and the Social Function of Higher Education: An Interview with Sarah Payne
What are the economic consequences of starting, but not completing college? On this episode of the Matrix Podcast, Sarah Harrington, Program Manager at Social Science Matrix, spoke with Sarah Payne, a sociologist who recently published a paper in Sociology of Education that examined what happens when students begin college but fail to graduate. “Although non-completion […]
Learn More >Lecture
Recap
Published February 3, 2026
American Contradiction: Revolution and Revenge from the 1950s to Now
How did Americans come to elect Barack Obama — and then Donald Trump? Watch the video of a talk by Paul Starr, Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, and Stuart Professor of Communications and Public Affairs, at Princeton University, discussing his book, "American Contradiction: Revolution and Revenge from the 1950s to Now."
Learn More >Matrix News
Funding Opportunity
Published February 3, 2026
Call for Proposals: 2026-2027 Matrix Research Teams
The application window is now open to submit proposals for Matrix Research Teams for the 2026-2027 academic year. The deadline for submitting proposals is March 16, 2026. Faculty-led Research Teams can receive funding up to $5000. They run for one to two semesters. Student-led Research Teams will receive funding up to $1500. Coordinated by one or more graduate students, they meet regularly, around 5-10 times over the course of the academic year.
Learn More >