Haas Diversity Research Center

The Haas Diversity Research Center (HDRC) currently supports research to generate specific prescriptions for changes in policy and practice that address disparities related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomics in California and nationwide.

Chancellor Robert Birgeneau first launched the expansive research effort in 2006, calling it the Berkeley Diversity Research Initiative (BDRI). Four years later, the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund supported an unprecedented five faculty chairs as part of the UC Berkeley Initiative for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity to further establish Berkeley's commitment and leadership in these areas. BDRI was subsequently re-named the Haas Diversity Research Center.

Current interdisciplinary research groups include: education, health, democracy, sexual orientation and gender identity, disabilities, and economic disparities.

A major goal of the Haas Diversity Research Center is to investigate and bring to light similarities and differences among multicultural societies, identifying factors that contribute to their success and how the strengths and assets of diverse communities can reduce inequalities.