September, 2015 - Development Sociology celebrates 100 years of impact

Public events began Friday, Sept. 25, when Julie Zimmerman, Ph.D. ’97, presented “100 Years of Scholarship in Development Sociology at Cornell.” During a day long symposium Sept. 26, distinguished alumni and current members of the department offered panel discussions and opportunities to discuss the challenges of development and possibilities for transformative change in the next century.

Fifteen faculty members and alumni have served as president of the Rural Sociological Society, and two have been elected president of the American Sociological Association. Recently, the department played a leadership role in establishing the Section on the Sociology of Development in the American Sociological Association, chaired by Cornell’s David Brown. The department offers an undergraduate major and two minors and has produced more than 330 Ph.D.'s who have gone on to distinguished careers in and out of academia. In addition, the department is home to several applied research and outreach centers with on-the-ground impact.