We are pleased to announce that as of July 1, Professor Liana Sayer has been appointed Chair of the Department of Sociology. Sayer has been with the department since 2013, and recently completed a term as the Associate Chair in the department.

Serving as Chair is an opportunity to express everyday my commitment to the department; a commitment fostered since my graduate studies here and my return to campus in 2013 as a faculty member. I am excited to have the opportunity to lead our top 25 program and continue to build on the stewardship of Dr. Jeff Lucas, past-chair. I am grateful to new members of the department's leadership team, Dr. Julie Park, Associate Chair, and Dr. Long Doan, Interim Graduate Director. My priorities include facilitating efforts to advance the intellectual community and standing of the department and efforts to improve our Undergraduate and Graduate programs through engaging and rigorous intellectual experiences. 

BSOS Dean Susan Rivera praised outgoing chair Jeff Lucas for his service to the college, and shared that she is "look[ing] forward to working with Liana as she leads the department to continued growth and success."

Julie Park will also join the leadership team. "I am excited to serve as the Associate Chair of Sociology, and am eager to work with our phenomenal students, staff, and faculty to further elevate education, service, and research." 

Finally, Long Doan will assume the duties of Director of Graduate Studies. "I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with my colleagues and our graduate students to strengthen and streamline our graduate program," shares Doan. "We have one of the top sociology graduate programs in the country in part because we are able to train the next generation of academic and industry social science researchers, thinkers, and leaders. I look forward to building on this tradition and continuing to prepare our students for an ever-changing landscape both inside and outside the academy."

"I look forward to working closely with Julie and Long to fearlessly address challenges ahead of the department," writes Sayer. "We are eager to work with colleagues as we continue to build our community and enhance our long tradition of excellence in teaching, research, and service."