Sidney Verba is an American political scientist known for his work in the fields of political participation and civic engagement. He served as a professor at Harvard University and was the director of the Harvard University Institute for Quantitative Social Science. His research often focused on how different social factors influence political behavior. Verba co-authored the influential book, The Civic Culture, which examined the relationship between culture and political systems in various countries. He also contributed to the development of survey research methods, helping to shape the way political scientists study public opinion and participation in democracy.