Founded in 1924, the H. W. Odum Institute for Research in Social Science is the nation's oldest multidisciplinary social science university institute. Indeed, we are the oldest institute or center at the nation's first public university, UNC- Chapel Hill. The mission of the Odum Institute parallels that of the University as a whole -- teaching, research, and service -- but the Institute's focus is on the social sciences. The Odum Institute is not part of any one school or department. Rather it stretches across virtually the entire university community and beyond, touching students, faculty, and staff from public health, social work, business, government, and the arts and sciences. People come from all corners of the university to take advantage of the training and courses, consulting services, data, software, and facilities that the Institute offers.