KINGSTON, R.I. – July 1, 2026 – Michael DiNardi, associate professor of economics at the University of Rhode Island, has been appointed the new director for the University’s Social Sciences Institute for Research, Education, and Policy . DiNardi, who arrived at URI in 2018 as an economist specializing in health and labor, with an emphasis on the opioid crisis, began his new role on July 1. 

SSIREP is a campus-wide organization that brings together faculty and students from social science disciplines within the URI College of Arts and Sciences, such as anthropology and sociology, economics, criminology and criminal justice, gender and women’s studies, and political science. The consortium also leans into the interdisciplinary culture at URI by working with health studies, engineering, biology, and more. 

The goal is for these diverse fields to collaborate and foster programs in scholarly research, teaching and learning, and building connections with businesses, government, and community.  

“At a time when society is grappling with issues ranging from public health and economic opportunity to civic engagement and social change, the insights provided by the social sciences are more valuable than ever. We are excited to expand our commitment to this work and we are confident that Michael’s leadership can position the University as a leading voice in research that informs policy and solves important social problems,” College of Arts and Sciences Interim Dean Brenton DeBoef said. 

The program currently holds workshops, “brown bag” presentations, and supports research grants for both faculty and students. DiNardi’s vision for SSIREP is to make its existing programming more visible to create stronger connections both on campus and in the community. He plans to survey faculty on their needs and expectations from the research institute, focusing on improving and understanding required infrastructure. 

“The institute’s role is in facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration between social scientists and other fields. It’s important to show how social science expertise can benefit other disciplines,” DiNardi said. 

To increase SSIREP’s visibility, DiNardi hopes to update and maintain the database that helps scholars find social scientists across the university for project collaboration. If a student or faculty member finds themselves looking for someone with a specific area of expertise , the SSIREP website can provide a list of faculty in those areas. DiNardi has experienced the benefits of such collaboration from his own expertise as a health economist focusing on health outcomes and the opioid epidemic, particularly in the treatment sector. 

With an envisioned stronger presence on campus as a resource (workshops, scholarly visitors, and more), DiNardi also hopes to see SSIREP become a gateway in providing visible and accessible data to the broader community. The Rhode Island Survey Initiative, for example, has an existing online presence, but DiNardi is pushing for more analysis of the data and publishing a data dashboard so that this pertinent information is digestible to the public. 

“If state agencies and community organizations have a social sciences related question, I want them to know that SSIREP exists at URI as a community resource with specialized expertise to help them answer that question,” DiNardi said. 

This release was written by Paige Monopoli, communications coordinator for the University of Rhode Island College of Arts and Sciences.