As I begin my first academic year as dean of the Social Sciences Division, I feel privileged and honored to help steward and extend the rich tradition of social sciences at the University of Chicago. Many ideas that we now take for granted were developed here, in the offices and seminar rooms of the Social Science Research Building. While embracing the Division’s legacy of field-defining scholarship, I am also looking ahead to our future. This fall brought several significant changes that are highlighted in this issue of Dialogo. One of these was the transition of the deanship from Mark Hansen to me. I am grateful to Mark for his decade of dedicated service and generous assistance during this transition. In September the two of us sat down for a joint interview, and in October we held an event to thank him. During the interview, Mark and I discussed the social sciences at UChicago, changes within the Division, and the role of dean. Mark was intimately involved with the academic life of the Division during his tenure, and I plan to do the same. I hope that serving as dean might, in fact, improve my research by sharpening my focus and expanding my vision. Meanwhile, four faculty members have started as department chairs: Elisabeth Clemens, AM’85, PhD’90, in sociology; John List in economics; Richard Taub in comparative human development; and Alan Kolata in anthropology. Lis replaced me as sociology chair, while John, Richard, and Alan assumed positions previously held by Harald Uhlig; John Lucy, PhD’87; and Judith Farquhar, AM’75, AM’79, PhD’86, respectively. I thank the outgoing chairs for their many accomplishments and look forward to working with their successors, whose experience and leadership will be key as we pursue new opportunities, striving to remain on the cutting edge of the social-science disciplines. Central to that goal are our faculty, the lifeblood of the Division. This academic year we welcomed two senior faculty and five assistant professors. This issue of Dialogo includes an interview with incoming University Professor and scholar of modern Chinese history Kenneth Pomeranz. In addition, biographies of all our new faculty appear on the divisional news page. These are promising times; many opportunities lie ahead. As we press forward with several important initiatives, including the Neubauer Family Collegium for Culture and Society and the gradual expansion of our faculty over the next decade, I will keep you apprised of our progress. I hope you will stay connected to the Division, by attending an alumni reception or campus lecture or by contacting a professor to meet over coffee. This is your University and your Division, and we want to hear your thoughts. Thank you. I hope you have a happy and productive New Year. Sincerely, Mario Luis Small, dean