Axinn, a sociologist at the university, will commence a five-year term on 2 September.

He has held several university-based research positions during his career, including spells at Cornell University, the University of Chicago and Pennsylvania State University. He also had a stint as a research associate at the National Opinion Research Center.

Axinn (pictured) said: “Our mission is to continue to enhance data collection methods, to improve data collection efficiency and quality, to expand the measures available across numerous substantive domains, to strengthen education in research methodology and to increase the international reach of social sciences as we work toward advancing social science in the public interest.”