Martin Arstad Isungset

Martin Arstad Isungset is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Sociology and Human Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo. His research focuses on the intersection of social inequality, social mobility, and social science genetics, with particular expertise in birth order effects and genetic influences on educational outcomes.

His primary research interests include:

• Social inequality and social mobility
• Social science genetics and behavioral genetics
• Nature versus nurture debates
• Educational achievement and birth order effects
• Immigrant family dynamics
• Scandinavian welfare state analysis

Isungset's research examines how genetic and environmental factors interact to influence educational outcomes across different family structures and societal contexts. His publications reveal a consistent focus on birth order effects, immigrant populations, and the interplay between genetic predispositions and social environments in shaping life outcomes. His work frequently appears in top-tier journals including PNAS, Demography, and European Sociological Review.

His notable awards include:

• U.S.-Norway Fulbright Foundation for Educational Exchange Grantee (2019-2020)
• Wedel Jarlsbergs Fund (2019-2020)

Isungset actively contributes to the academic community through his involvement in the Social Inequalities and Population Dynamics (SIPD) research group and the OPENFLUX project. He teaches advanced courses including Social Science Genetics (SOS2950) and Causes and consequences of social inequalities (SOS4100), mentoring students in cutting-edge methodologies that bridge sociology and genetics.