Archived News

Dr. Beth Rubin has been appointed as the Sociology Program Officer at the National Science Foundation for 2015-2016.

Congratulations to Dr. Murray Webster who is now Chair-Elect of the ASA Mathematical Sociology Section.

Dr. Murray Webster is also the 2015 winner of the Cooley-Mead Award from the American Sociological Association’s Social Psychology Section.

Watch the 2015 Cooley-Mead address, featuring Dr. Murray Webster here.

To read the entire feature on Dr. Webster & the Cooley-Mead Award, please click here.

Led by Dr. Scott Fitzgerald and Sean Langley, members of the UNC Charlotte Chapter of Habitat for Humanity traveled to El Salvador. Over the course of 10 days, students with pick axes and shovels worked side by side with local masons to build the foundation for a new home in Ahuachapán, El Salvador. It was incredibly difficult work in extremely hot weather, but our students prevailed and made UNC Charlotte proud.

During their stay in El Salvador, students were also able to: visit museums and sites dedicated to Archbishop Oscar Romero, whose tireless work with the poor of El Salvador and commitment to speaking truth to power led to his assassination in 1980; a market expedition and cooking class with local women in the village that they worked; a tour of a coffee production facility; a visit to Mayan ruins; a hike to the top of a dormant volcano; and a community soccer game with local children.

The Office of Education Abroad is currently accepting applications for the 2016 first Summer session Habitat for Humanity build in El Salvador. The trip will last from May 13th, 2016 to May 22nd, 2016. The application deadline is February 8th, 2016. For more information and to apply for this program please visit the program website.

Congratulations to Dr. Rosemary Hopcroft who is the new editor for the Switzerland-based journal Frontiers in Evolutionary Sociology and Biosociology.

The Department of Sociology welcomes Dr. Kendra Jason to the tenure-track faculty at UNC Charlotte!

Congratulations to Dr. Lisa Walker. Her manuscript, “Gender and Perceptions of Leadership Effectiveness: A Meta-Analysis of Contextual Moderators” (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2014), has won the 2015 Saroj Parasuraman Award for Outstanding Publication on Gender and Diversity. This award is presented by the Gender, Diversity and Organizations Division of the Academy of Management.

Dr. Lisa Walker was also elected to serve as the UNC Charlotte Faculty President in 2016-2017.

Dr. Lisa Walker’s research on beauty is cited in a BBC news article. Click here for the full story.

Dr. Roslyn Mickelson, Professor of Sociology, is honored with the Elizabeth G. Cohen Distinguished Career in Applied Sociology of Education Award, awarded by the Sociology of Education section of the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Mickelson was also named the 2014 Chancellor’s Professor. This title recognizes her outstanding scholarly achievements.

To read the entire feature on Dr. Mickelson, please click here

The Department of Sociology is currently accepting applications for the 2015 Michael A. Pearson Scholarship. Eligible students in Sociology, Anthropology, Gerontology, or University Honors at UNC Charlotte are encouraged to apply. Please click the image on the left to read about eligibility requirements and the application process.

Daniel Davis, a former Sociology MA student and current doctoral student in Organizational Science won the North Carolina Sociological Association’s Himes Award for Outstanding Student Sociology Paper (Graduate level). Congratulations Daniel!

Ten sociology faculty were recognized by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for their contributions to knowledge and research. Judy Aulette, Scott Fitzgerald, Teresa Scheid, and Murray Webster were recognized for publishing books in 2014.Yang Cao, Roslyn Mickelson, Stephanie Moller, Beth Rubin, Elizabeth Stearns, Lisa Walker, and Murray Webster were recognized for receiving grants from multiple organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Southern Regional Education Board. Congratulations!

The editorial office for Social Science Research has moved to the Department of Sociology at UNC Charlotte. Dr. Stephanie Moller will serve as the Chief Editor.

Dr. Christy Erving will join the faculty Fall 2016. Dr. Erving received her Ph.D. from Indiana University at Bloomington in 2014. She is currently a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Erving specializes in medical sociology, mental health, race/ethnicity/immigration, and social psychology.

In November, Alpha Kappa Delta, the Sociology Honors Society, inducted 10 new members. We would like to congratulate the students on their induction!

Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) is an International Sociology Honor Society. The purpose of AKD is to acknowledge and promote excellence in scholarship in the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and such other social and intellectual activities as will lead to improvement in the human condition.

America’s middle class is suffering an economic meltdown that threatens the sector of society long considered the nation’s bedrock. UNC Charlotte Sociology author and researcher, Scott Fitzgerald, will discuss these troubles and explore ways to regain prosperity. The free community talk is set for Thursday, September 18 at 6:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City, 320 E. Ninth Street. A reception will follow the talk. UNC Charlotte’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Atkins Library present this series, which marks its fifth season this year. Learn more and RSVP

Over spring break in 2015 (February 26th-March 8th), students will have the opportunity to study abroad in the Netherlands. Led by Dr. Scott Fitzgerald, this program offers students the opportunity to explore comparative cultural Sociology in the Netherlands. A primary goal of this program is to introduce students to this area of sociological research and to provide them with a unique opportunity to practice the art of comparison.Topics will include globalization, immigration, education, sexuality, cultural heritage, music, and the arts. This program offers credit for SOCY 4091: Comparative Cultural Sociology (W). You must be enrolled in the course in order to participate in this program. The Netherlands program is currently accepting applications (the application deadline is October 31st!) For additional information and application instructions visit: Comparative Cultural Sociology in the Netherlands

In April, Alpha Kappa Delta, the Sociology Honors Society, inducted 19 new members. We would like to congratulate the students on their induction

There is a new leadership team in the Sociology Department. Beginning July 1, 2014, Dr. Stephanie Moller is the Chair. Dr. Elizabeth Stearns is the Undergraduate Coordinator. Dr. Scott Fitzgerald continues as the Associate Chair and Graduate Program Director. The department is eternally grateful to Lisa Walker (former chair) and Mary McKenzie (former Undergraduate Director) for their outstanding leadership in the department.

Joseph Smith, a current Masters student in Sociology, won the Graduate School’s 2014 Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. Congratulations Joseph!

We are pleased to announce that graduates from our Sociology Masters Program found great opportunities around the country in 2014. Justin Lane is an evaluation specialist with McREL International. Savannah Larimore is entering the doctoral program at the University of Washington. Eve Bjerre is entering the doctoral program at Notre Dame. Daniel Davis is entering the Organizational Science Ph.D. program at UNC Charlotte. Congratulations! We are thrilled that you made UNC Charlotte a part of your educational portfolio, and we wish you endless success in your future endeavors.