From June 8 to 12, 2026, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Division of Social Sciences and the California Center for Population Research will sponsor the Summer Institute in Computational Social Science, to be held at the University of California Los Angeles. The purpose of the Summer Institute is to bring together graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty interested in computational social science. The Summer Institute is for both social scientists (broadly conceived) and data scientists (broadly conceived).
Causal inference will be the theme at this site. The instructional program will involve pedagogical workshops on defining causal effects, identification by selection on observables and other strategies, and estimation approaches including classical statistical procedures (e.g., regression, matching) and machine learning approaches (e.g., forests).
The ultimate goal of the week will be to equip participants with the tools to carry out causal inference research projects in teams. During the week, participants will have opportunities to discuss common research interests and form groups for research projects. Later in the summer, we will reconvene via Zoom for a research symposium at which participants can present results and updates on their progress.
Participation is restricted to advanced Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior faculty (within 7 years of their Ph.D). We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and fields of study, especially junior faculty from neighboring institutions near Los Angeles. About 25-30 participants will be invited. Most participants are expected to fully attend and participate in the entire 5-day program, but we are open to alternative arrangements for faculty members.
Application materials are due on April 15, 2026, by 23:59 PT.