News

Hedy Lee Finds Better Measures For Old Problems

When asked about her work, Hedwig (Hedy) Lee points to a quote from Ralph Ellison’s novel “Invisible Man”: “I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.” Lee, who joined Duke this fall as a professor of Sociology, is dedicated to measuring the invisible. She quantifies some of the most critical issues facing society today, such as racial and ethnic health disparities, in an effort to shed light upon forms of inequality that would otherwise go unseen. “We can't really see or understand a… read more about Hedy Lee Finds Better Measures For Old Problems  »

Gibson-Davis, Gennetian, and Keister awarded NICHD grant to study children's development

Three DUPRI scholars, Christina Gibson-Davis, Lisa Gennetian, and Sociology Professor, Lisa Keister, were recently awarded an R21 grant by NICHD called "Net worth poverty and children’s development." The research examines how net worth poverty, distinct from income poverty, is associated with children’s cognitive and behavioral development. The investigation contributes a new perspective on economic precarity of child households, on the ways in which wealth and income scarcity contribute… read more about Gibson-Davis, Gennetian, and Keister awarded NICHD grant to study children's development »

Sociology Professor, James Moody, part of Duke Team that is Awarded $1 million to Predict the Next Pandemic

Sociology Professor, James Moody, is part of Duke Team that is awarded  $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The team is pinpointing the factors that are likely to turn a local outbreak into a global pandemic. Click here to read full article. read more about Sociology Professor, James Moody, part of Duke Team that is Awarded $1 million to Predict the Next Pandemic »

Sociology Emeriti, Gary Gereffi, Ph.D. Has Been Quite Busy

  Gary Gereffi, Professor Emeritus of Sociology has been quite busy in terms of both academic and policy-related work on global supply chains. As an originator of the global value chains framework, Professor Gereffi was invited to testify at the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee hearings on “Implementing Supply Chain Resiliency” in Washington, DC on July 15, 2021.  This summer, Gary was an academic facilitator and commentator for the 2022 Supply Chain Ministerial hosted by U.S. Secretary of State… read more about Sociology Emeriti, Gary Gereffi, Ph.D. Has Been Quite Busy »

Duke Team Awarded $1 million to Predict the Next Pandemic

Experts know COVID-19 won’t be the last major pandemic. What they don’t know is where, or when, the next one will begin. An interdisciplinary team from Duke, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), North Carolina State University (NCSU) and the Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine (TriCEM) is hoping to change that. Thanks to a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the team is pinpointing the factors that are likely to turn a local outbreak into a global pandemic. At Duke, the research… read more about Duke Team Awarded $1 million to Predict the Next Pandemic »

Matthew Dupre and Scott Lynch Awarded NIH Grant

Matt Dupre (PI) and Scott Lynch (Co-I) were recently awarded $1.7 million by NIH for an R01 study on the life course patterns and predictors of hospitalizations in older adults with heart failure. The study is a collaboration among faculty from the Department of Sociology, Population Health Sciences, Family Medicine and Community Health, and the University of Texas Southwestern. read more about Matthew Dupre and Scott Lynch Awarded NIH Grant »

Le Barbenchon Successfully Defends Dissertation

On Thursday, May 19th, 2022, Claire Le Barbenchon successfully defended her dissertation entitled, “Essays on Migration, Social Networks and Employment”.  Her committee included Maria-Giovanna Merli (chair), James Moody, Lisa A Keister, Alexander Volfovsky, and Marcos Rangel.  Claire was a member of the inaugural cohort of the joint PhD in Public Policy and Sociology and is the first student to graduate with the joint degree. She also graduated with a Master's in Statistical Science with her thesis entitled "… read more about Le Barbenchon Successfully Defends Dissertation  »

Congratulations to Chris Bail, on his many recent successes

Professor of Sociology, Chris Bail, has been extremely busy, and his hard work is paying off.  First, the Templeton Foundation has awarded Chris and the Polarization Lab $1.85 million to study methods for increasing intellectual humility on social media. The project is on a timely topic and entitled “Can Social Media Promote Intellectual Humility?” (abstract below). The grant provides a big boost to Chris’s work in the Polarization Lab and is beneficial all around. Second, the impact of Chris’s work… read more about Congratulations to Chris Bail, on his many recent successes »

Sociology Professor, Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Receives NSF Grant

Professor Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Co-PI, on a recently funded NSF grant for the Alliance for Identity-Inclusive Computing Education-Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (AIICE-PRF).   ABSTRACT: While computer science (CS) has transformed society, these groundbreaking technologies have proven extremely harmful for people from groups that are historically underrepresented in computing. This can be attributed to the lack of diversity in academic and professional computing… read more about Sociology Professor, Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Receives NSF Grant »

Sociology Graduate, Kacia Anderson, Named to the Duke Board of Trustees

Four new members joined the Duke University Board of Trustees on July 1, university officials announced Friday. Among the four new members is Sociology graduate, Kacia A. Anderson, a 2022 Duke graduate who studied sociology and chemistry. Nominated by the Undergraduate Young Trustee Nominating Committee, Anderson, T’22, was a David M. Rubenstein Scholar and Questbridge Scholar and served as a peer mentor for the Rubenstein Scholars and DukeLIFE. A proud first-generation Jamaican-… read more about Sociology Graduate, Kacia Anderson, Named to the Duke Board of Trustees »

Congratulations to Jessica Ellington, Dean's Pillar of Excellence Award Winner

Congratulations to sociology’s Jessica Ellington on receiving a Dean’s Pillar of Excellence Award in recognition of her many outstanding contributions to Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. She is one of only four recipients of this award. “While this may not come as a surprise to those of us who work with Jessica, it is wonderful to see that her contributions are valued across Duke University.” – Chair Read The Dean's Pillars of Excellence Staff Award was stabled in 2017, and is presented… read more about Congratulations to Jessica Ellington, Dean's Pillar of Excellence Award Winner »

Students Explore Life’s Most Important Questions Through New Program for Sophomores

Set deep within the Blue Ridge mountains, far from Duke’s campus, a group of almost 40 campers huddled around the campfire ready to discuss the day’s activities. Archery, board games and hiking had kept them busy. But now it was evening, and they were tired and ready to eat s’mores and share typical campfire stories — like dealing with academic stress and deciding on a career path.Well, maybe not so typical, as these weren’t just any campers, but Duke sophomores on a meditative retreat.Soon, they would go back to their… read more about Students Explore Life’s Most Important Questions Through New Program for Sophomores »

Maloney named Vorsanger-Smith Scholar

Em Maloney has been named the 2021-2022 Vorsanger-Smith Scholar.  The Vorsanger-Smith Scholar Award is presented annually to recognize overall excellence in the graduate program. Excellence is assessed for all areas of performance in the programs, including coursework, examinations, professional presentations, publications and awards, evaluated contributions as teaching and/or research assistants and departmental citizenship. The award consists of the honorary designation during the following academic year as the… read more about Maloney named Vorsanger-Smith Scholar »

Latest Edition of Professor Bonilla-Silva's "Racism Without Racists" Among Spotlighted Spring Books

Sociology Professor Eduardo Bonilla-Silva's acclaimed "Racism without Racists" examines in detail how whites talk, think, and account for the existence of racial inequality and makes clear that color-blind racism is as insidious now as ever.  Click here to read full article. read more about Latest Edition of Professor Bonilla-Silva's "Racism Without Racists" Among Spotlighted Spring Books »