The Institute for Social Transformation (IST) at UC Santa Cruz advances the university’s mission of creating knowledge in the public interest and driving meaningful change in the world. Building on UC Santa Cruz’s tradition of progressive scholarship, the institute develops research-based solutions to urgent problems by addressing their root causes—working to transform the systems, institutions, and power structures that perpetuate inequity and environmental harm.
The IST brings together faculty, students, and community partners to pursue interdisciplinary approaches that value multiple ways of knowing and acting. Recognizing that social change occurs both incrementally and through sweeping shifts—whether through social movements, political action, technological innovation, or cultural transformation—the institute fosters collaboration that bridges research and real-world impact.
Founded in 2018 by former Social Sciences Dean Katharyne Mitchell, the Institute for Social Transformation serves as a hub for collective action and bold thinking. By linking rigorous scholarship with hands-on engagement, it advances the vision of equitable, sustainable, and democratic societies—locally and globally.