research history upenn

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Division
• College of Liberal and Professional Studies

Undergraduate Program in Historical Research

The Department of History firmly believes that our majors should have the opportunity to do serious historical research in original sources. A special program has been set up for this purpose for students who cannot undertake the Honors major. Students completing this program will have this fact noted on their transcripts.

To complete it, a student must take three advanced courses with a research component. Two of these may be History research seminars (HIST 3000-3799), and one independent study in History devoted to the writing of a paper based on original research; alternatively, a student may take one such seminar and two independent studies . Independent studies are worth one course unit of credit, and students may count up to two CUs of such credit for their History Major. Faculty who arrange independent studies with undergraduates will include a substantial research component in the work of the tutorial.

To sign up for this program,  contact the Undergraduate Advisor . You should have a fairly clear focus for the research you intend to do, and you should start thinking about which faculty member with whom you would like to work.

You may also want to review  research funding opportunities .

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Division
• College of Liberal and Professional Studies

Penn History Review

Founded in 1991, the Penn History Review is a journal for undergraduate historical research. Published twice a year through the Department of History, the journal is a non-profit publication produced by and primarily for undergraduates. The editorial board of the Review is dedicated to publishing the most original and scholarly research submitted for our consideration. For more information about submissions, please contact us at  [email protected] .   

Current Issue Fall 2023 Volume 30, Issue 2

Editor-in-chief .

Connor Nakamura, 2025, American History

Editor in Chief Emeritus

Liv McClary, 2023, American History

Editorial Board  

Alex Brownfield, 2024

Jimmy Hefter, 2024

Augustus Otto Kindel, 2024

Sanya Malhotra, 2024

Rajat Ramesh, 2024

William Brandes, 2025

Hadley Degregoris, 2025

Sung Hyun Lee, 2025

Ethan Moses, 2025

Sophia Paris, 2025

Sophia Powell, 2025

Olivia Rosenfeld, 2025

Eug Xu, 2025

Carolyn Vaziri, 2026

Zach Wang, 2026

Current and past issues of the Penn History Review

Spring 2013-spring 2015 issues

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University of Pennsylvania Philosophy

History of Philosophy

Penn is routinely ranked among the top philosophy programs in the history of philosophy with notable strengths in ancient philosophy through to early modern philosophy and on to Kant and German idealism. With the presence of Karen Detlefsen (early modern) and  Gary Hatfield (early modern through post-Kant) the department has been a nationally prominent department in the history of philosophy for the past thirty years.

Our faculty members have diverse research interests covering the history of value theory, metaphysics and epistemology, and natural philosophy (or science). Many of our research interests connect with those of our colleagues working in contemporary philosophy, and some of us work in contemporary philosophy ourselves. Penn is therefore well-situated to connect contempory philosophy problems with their history. We have notable strengths in the history of core topics in metaphysics and epistemology (Detlefsen, Hatfield); the history of psychology (Kahn and Hatfield), vision and cognitive science (Hatfield); the history of natural philosophy (or science) in general (Detlefsen, Hatfield) and biology in particular (Detlefsen and Hatfield); the history of educational theory through to the present (Detlefsen); and the history of women working in philosophy and science (Detlefsen).

Our research interests are complemented by related research of faculty in associated departments, including Claire Finklestein (Law: history of legal thought); William Ewald (Law: history of philosophy of mathematics); Warren Breckman, Alan Kors, Ann Moyer, Julia Rodolph, and Margo Todd (History: intellectual history, including history of science and of women); Rita Copeland, Ralph Rosen, and Peter Struck (Classical Studies); and Mark Adams, David Barnes, Ruth Schwartz Cowan, Henrika Kuklick, Susan Lindee, and John Tresch (History and Sociology and Science).

Research & Innovation

With more than $1.37 billion in annual R&D expenditures, Penn is one of the nation’s top research universities, not only generating important new knowledge in the fields of medicine, technology, business, science, and beyond, but applying this knowledge to improve the lives of individuals and communities at home and around the world. Innovative research that yields actionable knowledge is one of the cornerstones of Penn's vision for the future of the University.

Research Facts

Office of the vice provost for research.

The Vice Provost for Research is an adviser to the Provost and has oversight of the University’s vast research enterprise, encompassing a broad spectrum of research support services, regulatory bodies, multi-disciplinary campus-wide Centers and Institutes, and partnerships to further develop investigator inventions. OVPR collaborates with Penn constituents and external partners to promote meaningful scholarship, uphold research integrity, and foster new discoveries.

Centers & Institutes

The investigative collaborations that take place at Penn represent some of today’s most cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. Explore the centers and institutes that are generating new knowledge all over campus, and learn about the powerful impact this Penn-generated knowledge is making in all corners of the world.

Compliance & Training

OVPR is charged with oversight responsibility for multiple regulatory compliance areas at Penn. Given the breadth of regulations and guidelines, research compliance is a shared responsibility between numerous University offices.

OVPR manages a number of internal funding opportunities on behalf of the University as well as access to external funding opportunities.

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The Penn Research Excellence Initiative, spearheaded by OVPR, is a program that supports research credibility and integrity on Penn’s campus and across the Philadelphia region.

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Penn's Research Portal is a centralized compendium of University-wide research-related links.

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Suite 118 College Hall University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104-6376 Monday-Friday: 9am - 5pm

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PCI works in partnership with Penn faculty, staff, and students to advance scientific breakthroughs and technological advances toward new products, services, and/or businesses that provide benefits back to Penn, its inventors, and society.

Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships

CURF supports students as they pursue transformative experiences through fellowships, scholars programs, and undergraduate research. CURF promotes connections between faculty and students, encourages mentorship, and educates the Penn community about opportunities.

Research at Penn

As one of the top research universities in the world, Penn generates important new knowledge in medicine, technology, business, social science, humanities, and beyond, and applies this knowledge to improve the lives of individuals and communities at home and around the globe. Research at Penn is an annual publication that highlights some of the groundbreaking and innovative research happening across the University’s 12 schools.

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Research at Penn

The University of Pennsylvania has long stood as a leading figure in the nation ’ s research landscape. Penn is consistently at the forefront of groundbreaking knowledge across a multitude of disciplines including health, technology, business, the humanities, and the sciences. The application of this knowledge extends far beyond academic realms, significantly enhancing the lives of people both locally and globally.

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Initiatives around campus that direct and accelerate Penn’s strategic research goals.

Pennovation Works

The University of Pennsylvania is preparing the next phase of space dedicated to research and development for faculty and Penn-affiliated startups through a $365 million expansion of Pennovation Works.

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Recently issued guidelines from OVPR and partners emphasize the value of international research collaboration and aim to boost research productivity by reducing unnecessary regulatory stress.

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Research stories from across campus.

The stories behind the data, inventions, and breakthroughs.

Annual Research Digest: Research at Penn

Our annual publication highlighting the research stories with impact on our campus, in our community, and across the planet.

Past Digest Issues

• Research at Penn 2022: Volume 20
• Research at Penn 2021: Volume 19
• Research at Penn 2020: Volume 18
• Research at Penn 2019: Volume 17
• Research at Penn 2018: Volume 16
• Research at Penn 2017: Volume 15
• Research at Penn 2016: Volume 14
• Research at Penn 2015: Volume 13

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Our faculty uses the tools of the humanities and social sciences to study science, technology, medicine, and the environment.

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Undergraduate Research

Academic research is an integral part of the College curriculum. Students have the opportunity to work side by side with Penn faculty, who serve as mentors, colleagues, and role models, on research that spans the full range of disciplines at the University. Through these research activities, College students apply what they have learned in previous coursework and take part in the creation of knowledge, one of the University's core missions.

The value of research lies in the work as much as the product. Research reinforces and instills mastery of academic skills: how to formulate a question or hypothesis, how to gather evidence, and how to answer that question or test that hypothesis.

In some cases, students may receive independent study credit for research activities and scholarship, or receive work-study funds or stipends from faculty grants.

Examples of Student Research

Research is going on across the arts and sciences. Some undergrads join established projects while others explore their own topics with faculty mentors.

Combining issues of social justice with award-winning film. View Interview

Approaching health care through qualitative and quantitative methods. View Interview

Using research to refine his areas of interest. View Interview

Building on research interests discovered abroad.  View Interview

• Grace Ringlein on the Dark Energy Survey Read more
• Sharika Bamezai on Hemodynamic Forces Regulate Heart Valve Development Read more
• Julia Chatterjee on the interpretation of dreams in ancient societies Read more

Research Publications

Several departments and programs have publications which profile undergraduate research. Browse their web sites for information about contributing to or receiving their publication. Publications include:

• PennScience: Journal of Undergraduate Research
• 3808: Journal of Critical Writing
• Sound Politicks
• OMNIA All Things Penn Arts & Sciences
• The College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal (CUREJ)
• Discentes (Classical Studies)
• Penn History Review

History Undergraduate Research Grants

• Undergraduate Research
• / Funding Opportunities

The History Department Undergraduate Research Fund awards grants to students who require funds to travel to archives or for research materials for extensive projects, usually as part of a history seminar, or as a continuation of work begun there. All students are encouraged to apply. The Department also has additional funds to support undergraduate research for students in the Honors program.

The application process is overseen by the Undergraduate Chair. The size of the award will depend upon research needs, distance of travel, and the quality of the proposal, to a maximum of $1000. Grants may be used to fund, for example: transportation to a library or archive, reasonable lodging expenses associated with such travel; user fees if required; microfilming, or photocopying costs associated with doing research. 

Additionally, History Majors engaged in significant research focused on democracy, citizenship and related American values from 1750 to 1865 may apply for the Marvin and Sybil Weiner Travel Award.  Eligible projects might include: intellectual, social, or political histories of the Age of Revolutions anywhere in the Americas or Europe; Westward Expansion in North America; or the American Civil War.  The award can be used for all travel and research expenses, and the amount of the award will be determined by the History Department Chair. Any History major, whether working on honors theses, seminar papers, or guided independent research, are welcome to submit applications.

Application instructions for all Undergraduate History Department funding can be found here:  https://www.history.upenn.edu/undergraduate/research-funding

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The deadline for summer applications is May 3, 2024.

Research Offering Type

Undergraduate school, contact information.

http://www.history.upenn.edu/undergraduate/research-funding

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

The Preeminent History of Nursing Research Center and Archive 

Our priority is to increase the understanding of the importance of the history of nursing and healthcare to the development of our healthcare system and in crafting effective health policies and patient care strategies.

About the Center

Through its extensive collections , fellowships , and curricula opportunities , the Barbara Bates Center provides considerable evidence for scholars and students to question traditional disciplinary paradigms; to give voice to the historical power of nursing; and to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of local and global approaches to issues of health and illness.

The Barbara Bates Center is a committed partner in preserving all voices of nursing history, opening access to collection materials , and growing our digitized collections and sites . To support our efforts individuals can contribute funds, donate personal papers, and volunteer time.

Subscribe to the Barbara Bates Center mailing list

Bates Center Spring Spotlight with Sarah DiGregorio

The Barbara Bates Center for the Study of the History of Nursing annual seminar series welcomes author Sarah DiGregorio for its inaugural Spring Spotlight event. 

Upcoming Events

May 8 | 4:00pm - 5:30pm

Woodlands Walk with Nurses Tour

Weird and Wonderful

The history of nursing is more than documents, notes, and records. Bates Center treasures that reveal how nursing is embedded in the cultural lexicon and tell the story of nursing education inspire awe and delight.

Thinking Historically

A new curator sees the future in the past.

This Week in the Archives

This friendly feline found their way into the archives when a c.1930s Penn student captured this stunning photo and saved it in their photo album. The rest of the album is filled with pictures that provide a rich glimpse into life in and around Penn in the early 20th century. From the University Archives and Records Center.

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• Audio Recording and Editing by Penn Libraries Weigle Information Commons Last Updated Oct 24, 2022 488 views this year

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Events See all →

Creating canopy 2024.

Various locations

Earth Week 2024

This is a campuswide week of events, lectures, and volunteer opportunities designed to educate and inspire action related to environmental justice, climate, and nature-based solutions. This year’s theme is Restore & Regenerate.

Take Our Children to Work Day

Excellence in Graduate Teaching Reception

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Penn Graduate Student Center, 3615 Locust Walk

Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

Gearing up for research on aging

Gear up, an initiative offered by the population aging research center and the leonard davis institute, gives students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds hands-on experience and mentoring to address a global challenge..

“If you think about major societal challenges, a number are very predictable,” says Hans-Peter Kohler , Frederick J. Warren Professor of Demography and professor of sociology in the School of Arts & Sciences . “One of them is climate change. Another is population aging; this is a major domestic and global challenge.”

A worldwide increase in life expectancy and decrease in fertility rates led the World Health Organization to predict in 2022 that the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years old will nearly double between 2015 and 2050, from 12 to 22 percent. Related difficulties include providing health and long-term care needs, finding treatments for cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s, and addressing health disparities in aging.

Yet studying or researching population aging is not part of the curriculum available to most college undergraduates, says Kohler.

He and colleagues Norma B. Coe and Rachel M. Werner of the Perelman School of Medicine responded by creating the Get Experience in Aging Research Undergraduate Program, or GEAR UP. The initiative is run by the Population Aging Research Center (PARC), which Kohler and Coe co-direct, and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics , led by Werner. Established in the spring of 2022 with funding from the National Institute on Aging, GEAR UP supports research in STEM areas related to population aging by undergraduate students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds attending colleges across the country.

GEAR UP’s first cohort had eight students, six of whom were from Penn. This year there are 13 students from nine schools, including five from Penn. They are working on research ranging from the availability and effectiveness of care to health disparities and caregivers’ needs. The program is 15 months long, including two summers and the academic year between. It introduces students to researchers and topics, connects them with mentors to work on research initiatives, and provides workshops and social events.

“It’s an opportunity to prep and get help, make sure people with different skills get on the same page,” says Arturo Bardales, who is in the second cohort of GEAR UP fellows. Other events let students learn about each other’s research or just socialize. “We go out to eat as a group, we went to a conference in Seattle,” he says. “It was definitely a bonding experience.”

Read more at OMNIA.

Picturing artistic pursuits

Campus & Community

Penn celebrates operation and benefits of largest solar power project in Pennsylvania

Solar production has begun at the Great Cove I and II facilities in central Pennsylvania, the equivalent of powering 70% of the electricity demand from Penn’s academic campus and health system in the Philadelphia area.

Education, Business, & Law

Investing in future teachers and educational leaders

The Empowerment Through Education Scholarship Program at Penn’s Graduate School of Education is helping to prepare and retain teachers and educational leaders.

‘The Illuminated Body’ fuses color, light, and sound

A new Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition of work by artist Barbara Earl Thomas features cut-paper portraits reminiscent of stained glass and an immersive installation constructed with intricately cut material lit from behind.

25 years of ‘LOVE’

The iconic sculpture by pop artist Robert Indiana arrived on campus in 1999 and soon became a natural place to come together.

Population Health

4 Ways Health Officials Can Communicate Better in the Next Pandemic

Covid-19’s key challenges provide insight for future outbreaks, miles meline, mbe.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, communicating what people needed to know about the virus posed a supreme challenge to health officials. While most communications research had been done on diseases with stable risks and clear measures, the virus was novel and the pandemic was fast changing. The advice about ways to combat it seemed to shift by the day.

Add in a toxic political environment, and public health communications became a lollapalooza of misinformation and backsliding.  

Consider how President Trump compared the virus to the common cold, minimizing its danger to public health. 

Or how the FDA gave emergency authorization to hydroxychloroquine , but then reversed course after testing found the anti-malarial drug ineffective and dangerous. 

Masking followed the opposite trajectory, with the CDC discouraging it early on and then promoting it after April 2020. 

No wonder people were mistrustful and confused. 

Misguided and false communications have public consequences for many, especially those from underserved and underrepresented communities. So it is crucial for leaders to ensure that the government’s communication strategies succeed for all.

In a recent research article , with the goals of reaching the public, behavioral science experts, and policy officials, LDI Senior fellow Dolores Albarracín and colleagues assessed U.S. communication efforts during COVID-19 and offered 17 recommendations for conveying health messages and science more effectively in the future.

Here are four of their recommendations for effective health communication:

1. Communicate policies actively or they won’t be used. Use analogies and metaphors that all groups can grasp.

To be effective, information must be clear, concrete, and complete so the public can build a mental model of disease transmission and prevention. Choice of analogy and metaphor may be especially important for people with low levels of basic health literacy.

2. Knowledge and risk perception don’t drive behavior. Identity is a stronger predictor of action.

When proposing a call to action, our communications should interpret the crisis in ways relevant to people’s identities. This does not always mean targeting different groups with different messages—which can undermine credibility. Instead, health messages should consider signaling people’s identities by linking to cultural themes such as honor, individualism, and collective values.

3. If the population cares about an issue, the potential for political polarization is high. If a solution is costly, the risk of political polarization is even higher.

K-12 education needs to instill contempt for the politicization of outbreaks and pandemics. This seems central to reducing tendencies of political opportunism in response to a threat. We should instill values that encourage all individuals, including politicians, to support health no matter what side they are on.

4. Address political polarization head on and be strategic about misinformation.

Political polarization can be dangerous because it drives behavior. So it’s important to “prebunk” misinformation when possible before it spreads. Debunk widely disseminated claims of misinformation and ignore misleading claims that receive little attention—talking about them will make them more prominent.

For more recommendations about how to—and how not to—communicate health messages, see the full research article here .

The study, “ Health Communication and Behavioral Change During the COVID-19 Pandemic ,” was published on February 6, 2024, in Perspectives on Psychological Science . Authors include Dolores Albarracín , Daphna Oyserman, and Norbert Schwarz.

Policy Coordinator

More on population health.

Why Health Privacy Online Is a Myth

Google Knows More About Your Health Than Your Mom, LDI Experts Explain. And Here’s What Can Be Done About It

• Nancy Stedman

Transportation Remains a Big Barrier to Health Care 

Caregivers Should Screen for It and Have Options Available, LDI Experts Say

• Mackenzie Bolas

How U.S. Food Labels Compare To Those in France, Mexico and Chile

Other Countries Make More Helpful Comparisons, According To a Washington Post Op-ed, Co-authored by LDI Senior Fellow Christina Roberto

Children in Poor Communities Experienced a Greater Increase in Obesity Rates During the Pandemic  

The Results Underscore the Social Environment’s Impact on Children’s Health

Health Equity | Population Health

A New Clinic Model Makes It Easier to Get HIV Care and Prevention in Philadelphia

Clinics Use Stigma-Reduction, Same-Day Appointments, and a Community Focus to Make HIV Care Easier

• Chris Tachibana, PhD, MS

News | Video

Optimal Sex Education Programming for Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Adolescents

Penn Nursing Study Surveys GBQ Male Students to Inform Policymaking

• Hoag Levins

Mann Research Group

The 2024 atlantic hurricane season: university of pennsylvania forecast.

University of Pennsylvania EES scientists Dr. Michael E. Mann and Shannon Christiansen , and Penn State ESSC alumnus Dr. Michael Kozar have released their seasonal prediction for the 2024 North Atlantic hurricane season, which officially starts on 1 June and runs through 30 November.

The prediction is for 33.1 +/- 5.8 total named tropical cyclones, which corresponds to a range between 27 and 39 storms, with a best estimate of 33 named storms. This prediction was made using the statistical model of Kozar et al. (2012, see PDF here ). This statistical model builds upon the past work of Sabbatelli and Mann (2007, see PDF here ) by considering a larger number of climate predictors and including corrections for the historical undercount of events (see footnotes).

The assumptions behind this forecast are (a) the persistence of current North Atlantic Main Development Region (MDR) sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies (+1.9°C in April 2024 from NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch ) throughout the 2024 hurricane season, (b) development of a moderate La Nina (Niño3.4 anomaly of -0.5°C) conditions in the equatorial Pacific in late Boreal summer and fall 2024 ( ENSO forecasts here; we used mid-April 2023 ), and (c) climatological mean conditions for the North Atlantic Oscillation in Fall/Winter 2023-2024.

If neutral ENSO conditions (Niño3.4 anomaly of 0.0°C) take shape later in 2024, then the prediction will be lower: 30.5 +/- 5.5 storms (range of 25 – 36 storms, with a best guess of 31).

Using an alternative model that uses “relative” MDR SST (MDR SST with the average tropical mean SST subtracted) in place of MDR SST yields a lower prediction (19.9 +/- 4.5 total named storms). This alternative model also includes positive ENSO conditions.

Previous Forecasts:

References:

Kozar, M.E., Mann, M.E., Camargo, S.J., Kossin, J.P., Evans, J.L., 2012: Stratified statistical models of North Atlantic basin-wide and regional tropical cyclone counts , J. Geophys. Res., 117, D18103, doi:10.1029/2011JD017170.

Mann, M.E., Sabbatelli, T.A., Neu, U., 2007: Evidence for a Modest Undercount Bias in Early Historical Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Counts , Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L22707, doi:10.1029/2007GL031781.

Sabbatelli, T.A., Mann, M.E., 2007: The Influence of Climate State Variables on Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Occurrence Rates , J. Geophys. Res., 112, D17114, doi: 10.1029/2007JD008385.

Vecchi, G.A., Knutson, T.R., 2008: On Estimates of Historical North Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Activity , J.Climate, 21, 3580-3600, doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2178.

Footnotes: The tropical cyclone series was corrected based on an estimated historical undercount taken from Vecchi and Knutson (2008).

Prediction made: April 11, 2024 This webpage last updated: April 23, 2024

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Diverse Cultures and Shared Experiences Shape Asian American Identities

About six-in-ten feel connected to other asians in the u.s., table of contents.

• The making of Asian American identity and knowledge of Asian history in the U.S.
• Immigrant ties shape Asian Americans' identities and their life in the U.S.
• Asians in the U.S. share similar views among themselves and with the U.S. public on what it means to be American
• How Asians in the U.S. describe their identity
• Asian adults and the general public agree: U.S. Asians have many different cultures
• Whom do U.S. Asians consider Asian?
• A majority of Asian adults say others would describe them as Asian when walking past them on the street
• For many Asian adults, where they were born shapes friendships formed in the U.S.
• Most Asian adults are comfortable with intermarriage
• Some Asians say they have hidden their heritage
• Connections with other Asian Americans, politics and political parties
• Need for a national leader advancing the concerns of Asian Americans
• Asian American registered voters and political party
• About one-quarter of Asian adults say they are informed about U.S. Asian history
• What being ‘truly American’ means to U.S. Asians
• Fewer than half of U.S. Asians consider themselves typical Americans
• What do Asian Americans view as important for the American dream?
• Most Asian adults say the American dream is within reach, but about a quarter say they will never achieve it
• Acknowledgments
• Sample design
• Data collection
• Weighting and variance estimation
• Largest origin groups
• Educational attainment
• Immigration status
• Length of time living in the U.S. among immigrants
• Citizenship status among immigrants

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand the rich diversity of people of Asian origin or ancestry living in the United States and their views of identity. The study is part of the Center’s multiyear, comprehensive, in-depth quantitative and qualitative research effort focused on the nation’s Asian population. Its centerpiece is this nationally representative survey of 7,006 Asian adults exploring the experiences, attitudes and views of Asians living in the U.S. The survey sampled U.S. adults who self-identify as Asian, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic ethnicity. It was offered in six languages: Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), English, Hindi, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese. Responses were collected from July 5, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023, by Westat on behalf of Pew Research Center.

The Center recruited a large sample to examine the diversity of the U.S. Asian population, with oversamples of the Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Korean and Vietnamese populations. These are the five largest origin groups among Asian Americans. The survey also includes a large enough sample of self-identified Japanese adults, making findings about them reportable. In this report, the six largest ethnic groups include those who identify with one Asian ethnicity only, either alone or in combination with a non-Asian race or ethnicity. Together, these six groups constitute 81% of all U.S. Asian adults, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey (ACS), and are the six groups whose attitudes and opinions are highlighted throughout the report. Survey respondents were drawn from a national sample of residential mailing addresses, which included addresses from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Specialized surnames list frames maintained by the Marketing Systems Group were used to supplement the sample. Those eligible to complete the survey were offered the opportunity to do so online or by mail with a paper questionnaire. For more details, see the Methodology . For questions used in this analysis, see the Topline Questionnaire .

The survey research plan and questionnaire were reviewed and approved by Westat’s institutional review board (IRB), which is an external and independent committee of experts specializing in protecting the rights of research participants.

Even though the U.S. Asian population was the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the country from 2000 to 2019 , it is still a relatively small population. According to the 2021 American Community Survey, the country’s Asian population constitutes 7% of the U.S. population (of all ages) and 7% of adults (those ages 18 and older).

Pew Research Center designed this study with these details in mind to be as inclusive as possible of the diversity of Asian American experiences. Even so, survey research is limited when it comes to documenting the views and attitudes of the less populous Asian origin groups in the U.S. To address this, the survey was complemented by 66 pre-survey focus groups of Asian adults , conducted from Aug. 4 to Oct. 14, 2021, with 264 recruited participants from 18 Asian origin groups. Focus group discussions were conducted in 18 different languages and moderated by members of their origin groups.

Findings for less populous Asian origin groups in the U.S., those who are not among the six largest Asian origin groups, are grouped under the category “Other” in this report and are included in the overall Asian adult findings in the report. These ethnic origin groups each make up about 2% or less of the Asian population in the U.S., making it challenging to recruit nationally representative samples for each origin group. The group “Other” includes those who identify with one Asian ethnicity only, either alone or in combination with a non-Asian race or Hispanic ethnicity. Findings for those who identify with two or more Asian ethnicities are not presented by themselves in this report but are included in the overall Asian adult findings.

To learn more about how members of less populous Asian origin groups in the U.S. identify, see the quote sorter based on our focus group discussions. There, you can read how participants describe their identity in their own words.

For this analysis, an additional national survey of 5,132 U.S. adults was conducted from Dec. 5 to 11, 2022, using Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel . The survey of U.S. adults was conducted in English and Spanish. Respondents are recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses.

Pew Research Center has conducted multiple studies that focus on Asian Americans. Previous demographic studies examined the diversity of origins , key facts , and rising income inequality among Asians living in the U.S. and key findings about U.S. immigrants. Qualitative studies have focused on what it means to be Asian in America as well as barriers to English language learning among Asian immigrants. Previous surveys have focused on concerns over discrimination and violence against Asian Americans, as well as studies about their religious beliefs . Find these publications and more on the Center’s Asian Americans topic page .

Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. The Center’s Asian American portfolio was funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from The Asian American Foundation; Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; the Henry Luce Foundation; the Doris Duke Foundation; The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation; The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation; The Long Family Foundation; Lu-Hebert Fund; Gee Family Foundation; Joseph Cotchett; the Julian Abdey and Sabrina Moyle Charitable Fund; and Nanci Nishimura.

We would also like to thank the Leaders Forum for its thought leadership and valuable assistance in helping make this survey possible.

The strategic communications campaign used to promote the research was made possible with generous support from the Doris Duke Foundation.

The terms Asian, Asians living in the United States , U.S. Asian population and Asian Americans are used interchangeably throughout this report to refer to U.S. adults who self-identify as Asian, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic identity.

Ethnicity and ethnic origin labels, such as Chinese and Chinese origin, are used interchangeably in this report for findings for ethnic origin groups, such as Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean or Vietnamese. For this report, ethnicity is not nationality. For example, Chinese in this report are those self-identifying as of Chinese ethnicity, rather than necessarily being a current or former citizen of the People’s Republic of China. Ethnic origin groups in this report include those who self-identify as one Asian ethnicity only, either alone or in combination with a non-Asian race or ethnicity.

Less populous Asian origin groups in this report are those who self-identify with ethnic origin groups that are not among the six largest Asian origin groups. The term includes those who identify with only one Asian ethnicity. These ethnic origin groups each represent about 2% or less of the overall Asian population in the U.S. For example, those who identify as Burmese, Hmong or Pakistani are included in this category. These groups are unreportable on their own due to small sample sizes, but collectively they are reportable under this category.

The terms Asian origins and Asian origin groups are used interchangeably throughout this report to describe ethnic origin groups.

Immigrants in this report are people who were not U.S. citizens at birth – in other words, those born outside the U.S., Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories to parents who are not U.S. citizens. I mmigrant , first generation and foreign born are used interchangeably to refer to this group.  

Naturalized citizens are immigrants who are lawful permanent residents who have fulfilled the length of stay and other requirements to become U.S. citizens and who have taken the oath of citizenship.

U.S. born refers to people born in the 50 U.S. states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories.

Second generation refers to people born in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories with at least one first-generation (immigrant) parent.

Third or higher generation refers to people born in the 50 states or the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories with both parents born in the 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories.

The nation’s Asian population is fast growing and diverse. Numbering more than 23 million, the population has ancestral roots across the vast, ethnically and culturally rich Asian continent. For Asians living in the United States, this diversity is reflected in how they describe their own identity. According to a new, nationwide, comprehensive survey of Asian adults living in the U.S., 52% say they most often use ethnic labels that reflect their heritage and family roots, either alone or together with “American,” to describe themselves. Chinese or Chinese American, Filipino or Filipino American, and Indian or Indian American are examples of these variations.

There are other ways in which Asians living in the U.S. describe their identity. About half (51%) of Asian adults say they use American on its own (10%), together with their ethnicity (25%) or together with “Asian” as Asian American (16%) when describing their identity, highlighting their links to the U.S.

And while pan-ethnic labels such as Asian and Asian American are commonly used to describe this diverse population broadly, the new survey shows that when describing themselves, just 28% use the label Asian (12%) on its own or the label Asian American (16%).

The survey also finds that other labels are used by Asian Americans. Some 6% say they most often prefer regional terms such as South Asian and Southeast Asian when describing themselves.

Asian adults see more cultural differences than commonalities across their group as well. When asked to choose between two statements – that Asians in the U.S. share a common culture, or that Asians in the U.S. have many different cultures – nearly all (90%) say U.S. Asians have many different cultures. Just 9% say Asians living in the U.S. share a common culture. This view is widely held across many demographic groups among Asian Americans, according to the survey.

The view that Asian Americans have many different cultures is also one held by the general public, according to another Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults, conducted in December 2022. Among all U.S. adults, 80% say Asians in the U.S. have many different cultures, while 18% say they share a common culture. 1

Though Asian Americans’ identities reflect their diverse cultures and origins, Asian adults also report certain shared experiences. A majority (60%) say most people would describe them as “Asian” while walking past them on the street, indicating most Asian adults feel they are seen by others as a single group, despite the population’s diversity. One-in-five say they have hidden a part of their heritage (their ethnic food, cultural practices, ethnic clothing or religious practices) from others who are not Asian, in some cases out of fear of embarrassment or discrimination. Notably, Asian adults ages 18 to 29 are more likely to say they have done this than Asians 65 and older (39% vs. 5%).

Asian adults in the U.S. also feel connected with other Asian Americans. About six-in-ten (59%) say that what happens to Asians in the U.S. affects their own lives, at least to some extent. 2 And about two-thirds (68%) of Asian Americans say it is extremely or very important to have a national leader advocating for the concerns and needs of the Asian population in the U.S.

The new survey also shows that large majorities of Asian adults share similar views on what it takes to be considered truly American. And they consider many of the same factors to be important in their views of the American dream.

These are among the key findings from Pew Research Center’s new survey of Asian American adults, conducted by mail and online from July 5, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023. This is the largest nationally representative survey of its kind to date that focused on Asian Americans. The survey was conducted in English and five Asian languages, among a representative sample of 7,006 Asian adults living in the United States. 

Asian Americans are 7% of the U.S. population, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the 2021 American Community Survey. Their population is diverse, with roots in more than 20 countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. About 54% of the national Asian population are immigrants. The six largest origin groups (Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese), a focus of this survey and report, together account for 79% of all Asian Americans.

Overall, about 34% of Asian Americans are the U.S.-born children of immigrant parents, and another 14% are of third or higher generation (meaning their parents were born in the U.S. as well), according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the 2022 Current Population Survey, March Annual Social and Economic Supplement.

This survey and report focus on Asian adults in the U.S. The six largest origin groups together account for 81% of Asian adults. And 68% of Asian American adults are immigrants, according to Center analysis of the 2021 American Community Survey. Additionally, 25% are the U.S.-born children of immigrant parents and 10% are of third or higher generation, according to Center analysis of government data.

The pan-ethnic term “Asian American” emerged in Berkeley, California, in the 1960s as part of a political movement to organize the diverse U.S. Asian population. The creation of an Asian American identity was in reaction to a long history of exclusion of Asians in the country, including the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and a pair of Supreme Court cases in the 1920s clarifying that Asians, including South Asians, are not “free White persons” and therefore were excluded from becoming naturalized U.S. citizens. 3 Subsequently, the term was adopted by the federal government and today is the principal identity label used by media, academics, researchers and others to describe today’s diverse Asian American population.

In most cases today, someone is considered Asian or Asian American if they self-identify as such. But Asian Americans do not necessarily agree on which regional or ethnic groups from the Asian continent they consider to be Asian, according to the new survey. The vast majority of Asian adults say they consider those from East Asia, such as Chinese or Koreans (89%); Southeast Asia, such as Vietnamese or Filipinos (88%); and to a lesser extent South Asia such as Indians or Pakistanis (67%) to be Asian.

But Asian adults are split on whether they consider Central Asians such as Afghans or Kazakhs to be Asian (43% of Asian adults say they are). While about half of Indian adults (56%) say they would include Central Asians in the category Asian, fewer than half of Filipino (40%), Chinese (39%), Japanese (34%), Korean (32%) and Vietnamese (30%) adults consider them Asian.

Few Asians say they are knowledgeable about U.S. Asian history

Asian Americans have a long history in the United States. From Chinese laborers who helped build the first transcontinental railroad, to Japanese immigrants who arrived as plantation workers in what is now the state of Hawaii, to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, to Filipinos being treated as U.S. nationals while the Philippines was a U.S. territory, the Asian American experience has been a part of U.S. history.

With the passage of the landmark Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, a new wave of immigrants from Asia began arriving in the United States, creating a new, contemporary U.S. Asian history. The Vietnam War and other conflicts in Southeast Asia brought Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian refugees to the U.S. , first with the passage of the 1975 Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act and then with the Refugee Act of 1980. The 1990 Immigration Act raised immigration ceilings and set in place processes that allowed the flows of Asian immigrants, particularly of high-skilled immigrants, to continue and expand. The U.S. technology boom of the 1990s and 2000s attracted many high-skilled immigrants, particularly from India and China, to tech centers around the country.

This rich history, however, is little-known to Asian adults, according to the new survey. One-in-four (24%) say they are very or extremely informed about history of Asians in the United States, while an equal share (24%) say they are little or not at all informed.

The majority of those very or extremely informed about the history of Asians in the U.S. say they learned about this history through informal channels: internet (82%), media (76%) and family and friends (70%). In contrast, 49% learned about it from college or university courses and 39% from elementary through high school.

Immigrant ties shape Asian Americans’ identities and their life in the U.S.

Immigration experiences, connections with home countries, and how long someone has lived in the U.S. shape many Asian Americans’ identities. Among Asian adults in the U.S., immigrants are more likely than those who are U.S. born to describe their identity most often with their ethnic labels, either alone or together with the label American (56% vs. 41%).

Meanwhile, Asian immigrants are less likely than U.S.-born Asians (46% vs. 65%) to say they most often describe themselves as American in some way – whether by their ethnic label combined with American, as Asian American, or simply as American. Still, nearly half of Asian immigrants describe themselves in one of these three ways.

When it comes to identifying with the label Asian – either alone or as Asian American – immigrant and U.S.-born Asians are about equally likely to say they do so (28% and 29% respectively). Immigrant Asians are less likely than U.S.-born Asians to identify most often as Asian American (14% vs. 21%).

On the question of seeing themselves more as a “typical American” or “very different from a typical American,” Asian immigrant adults are far less likely than those born in the U.S. to think of themselves as a typical American (37% vs. 69%).

Nativity is also tied to how Asians in the U.S. develop their friendships. Those who immigrated to the U.S. are more likely to have friends who are Asian or of the same ethnicity as them than are U.S.-born Asians (56% vs. 38%).

Asian immigrants (15%) are also less likely than U.S.-born Asians (32%) to have ever hidden a part of their heritage from people who are not Asian. When asked in an open-ended question to explain why they hide aspects of their culture, some U.S.-born respondents mentioned phrases such as “fear of discrimination,” “being teased” and “embarrassing.”

Views of identity among Asian American immigrants are often tied to time spent in the U.S.

How long Asian immigrants have lived in the U.S. also shapes their identity and experiences. Those who arrived in the U.S. in the past 10 years are more likely than those who arrived more than 20 years ago to say they most often use their ethnicity, such as Filipino or Vietnamese, to describe themselves. And about two-thirds (65%) of those who arrived in the U.S. in the past decade describe their identity most often with their ethnicity’s name, either alone or combined with American, compared with 54% among those who have been in the country for more than two decades.

Roughly half (54%) of those who have arrived in the past 10 years say they most often use only their ethnicity to describe themselves, compared with just 21% of those who arrived more than two decades ago who say the same.

On the other hand, just 17% of Asian immigrants who arrived in the country in the past 10 years describe themselves most often as American, by their ethnic label combined with American, or as Asian American, while 59% of those who arrived more than 20 years ago do so.

When it comes to their circle of friends, 60% of Asian immigrants who arrived in the past 10 years say most or all of their friends are also Asian Americans, while 50% of those who arrived more than 20 years ago say the same.

And when asked if they think of themselves as typical Americans or not, Asian immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the past decade are substantially less likely than those who arrived more than two decades ago to say they are typical Americans (20% vs. 48%).

The new survey also explored the views Asian Americans have about traits that make one “truly American.” Overall, Asian Americans and the general U.S. population share similar views of what it means to be American. Nearly all Asian adults and U.S. adults say that accepting people of diverse racial and religious backgrounds (94% and 91%), believing in individual freedoms (92% and 94%) and respecting U.S. political institutions and laws (89% and 87%) are important for being truly American.

Similarly, Asian Americans and the U.S. general population share in their views about the American dream. They say having freedom of choice in how to live one’s life (96% and 97% respectively), having a good family life (96% and 94%), retiring comfortably (96% and 94%) and owning a home (both 86%) are important to their view of the American dream. Smaller shares of Asian and U.S. adults (30% and 27%) say owning a business is important to their view of the American dream.

Here are other survey findings highlighting the diverse views and attitudes of Asian adults living in the U.S.:

• Indian adults are the most likely of the six largest Asian origin groups to say they most often use their ethnicity, without the addition of “American,” to describe themselves. About four-in-ten Indian adults (41%) say they do this. By comparison, smaller shares of Korean (30%), Filipino (29%), Chinese (26%) and Vietnamese (23%) adults do the same. Japanese adults (14%) are the least likely among the largest groups to use their ethnic identity term alone.
• Japanese adults are the least likely among the largest Asian origin groups to say they have friendships with other Asians. About one-in-three Japanese adults (34%) say most or all their friends share their own ethnicity or are otherwise Asian. By contrast, about half of all Indian (55%), Vietnamese (55%), Chinese (51%), Korean (50%) and Filipino (48%) respondents say the same.
• One-in-four Korean adults (25%) say they have hidden part of their heritage from people who are not Asian. Some 20% of Indian, 19% of Chinese, 18% of Vietnamese, 16% of Filipino and 14% of Japanese adults say they have done the same.
• Across the largest ethnic groups, about half or more say that what happens to Asians in the U.S. affects what happens in their own lives. About two-thirds of Korean (67%) and Chinese (65%) adults say this. By comparison, 61% of Japanese, 54% of Filipino, 55% of Indian and 52% of Vietnamese adults say they are impacted by what happens to Asians nationally.
• Most Asian adults among the largest ethnic origin groups say a national leader advancing the U.S. Asian community’s concerns is important. Roughly three-in-four Filipino (74%) and Chinese (73%) adults say it is very or extremely important to for the U.S. Asian community to have a national leader advancing its concerns. A majority of Vietnamese (69%), Korean (66%), Japanese (63%) and Indian adults (62%) says the same.  
• About half of Vietnamese registered voters (51%) identify with or lean to the Republican Party. In contrast, about two-thirds of Indian (68%), Filipino (68%) and Korean (67%) registered voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party. And 56% of Chinese registered voters also associate with the Democratic Party. 
• This finding is from a nationally representative survey of 5,132 U.S. adults conducted by Pew Research Center from Dec. 5 to 11, 2022, using the Center’s American Trends Panel . ↩
• In recent years, a major source of concern and fear among many Asian adults in the U.S. has been the rise in reported violence against Asian Americans . ↩
• For more on the history of the creation of an Asian American identity, see Lee, Jennifer and Karthick Ramakrishnan. 2019. “ Who counts as Asian .” Ethnic and Racial Studies. ↩

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