Jun 30, 2017

Announcement originally posted by UNC Research.

Elizabeth Frankenberg, PhD, begins as director of the Carolina Population Center (CPC) on July 1, 2017. Most recently Frankenberg served as professor of public policy and sociology at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy, and as the school’s associate dean for academic programs from 2012-2014.

“Her background in research and administration, coupled with her dedication to bringing the best minds together to create effective teams, makes Dr. Frankenberg an exciting and welcome addition to both CPC and Carolina,” says Vice Chancellor for Research Terry Magnuson.

As director, Frankenberg will lead a community of scholars at CPC, renowned for their ground-breaking research on population issues locally and nationally, and in 85 countries across the globe. CPC researchers are engaged in domestic and international studies that cluster around three primary research areas: demography, human reproductive health, and population health. The center is known for its signature approaches that have, quite literally, set the standard for global population research. It also plays a crucial role training the next generation of scholars in these fields. Frankenberg will oversee all of these activities. In addition, she will serve as professor of sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Sociology Department.  

“I was an undergraduate at UNC and I’ve always loved the University – it’s an honor to come back and join the faculty,” says Frankenberg. “The warmth and enthusiasm that faculty, staff, and students feel about CPC stands out and is inspiring. It’s easy to want to be a part of that.”

Frankenberg received her B.A. in geography from Carolina, and her M.P.A. from Princeton University, and her PhD from University of Pennsylvania. Her research interests include the impacts of economic crises and natural disasters – observing their influence on human capital and resource investments at the individual, household, and community level. Most recently, Frankenberg has examined the impact of the Indian Ocean tsunami on psycho-social well-being, post-traumatic stress as a function of exposure to community trauma, and the impact of orphanhood after the tsunami on the short and long-term well-being of children.

Prior to joining the faculty at Duke, Frankenberg was a professor at UCLA, held numerous leadership positions at the RAND Corporation, and served as a population consultant for many international organizations.

Frankenberg is the recipient of numerous awards including the Richard Stubbing Award for Graduate Student Mentoring from Duke and the Population Association of America’s Dorothy Thomas Award. She has also served on the editorial board of Demography and numerous boards for the Population Association of America.