Research Feature

Dec 3, 2015

Research seeks answers to black lung resurgence

For some, the words “black lung” may stir thoughts of an antiquated disease. However, after cases among miners dropped from nearly 30 percent to 3 percent between 1969 and 1999, recent research shows that trend reversing in central Appalachia. NC State doctoral student Aysha Bodenhamer aims to find out what’s led to the resurgence and what miners, their families and the industry are doing about it. 

Sep 21, 2015

Tequila, Mezcal and Social Science: a Q&A with Sarah Bowen

Sarah Bowen knows a lot about tequila and mezcal. Her new book, Divided Spirits: Tequila, Mezcal, and the Politics of Production, explores the complex web of relationships – from farmers to bartenders – involved in transforming agave plants grown in Mexico into high-end spirits and cocktails consumed around the world. 

Sep 14, 2015

Researchers Aim to Understand What Drives School Diversity or Resegregation

Why are some school districts able to maintain economic diversity in their schools, while others have become effectively resegregated in recent decades? That’s a question being explored by a team of researchers led by NC State University under a two-year, $482,000 collaborative grant from the National Science Foundation. 

Jun 10, 2015

On Fisheries, Society and Sustainability

Massive ecological changes are transpiring in the World Ocean. Environmental sociologist Stefano Longo worries that turning ocean resources -- like fish -- into commodities has led to the depletion of fisheries and the development of environmentally suspect means of aquaculture. He's co-authored "The Tragedy of the Commodity: Oceans, Fisheries, and Aquaculture" to turn our attention to the issues we face in our relationship with the oceanic ecological system. 

Sep 24, 2014

Childhood Mentors Boost Career Success

New research from NC State's Department of Sociology and Anthropology finds that young people who have had mentors are more likely to find work early in their careers that gives them more responsibility and autonomy – ultimately putting them on a path to more financially and personally rewarding careers. 

Sep 11, 2014

‘Family Meal’ Ideal Is Stressful, Impossible for Many Families

Magazines, television and other popular media increasingly urge families to return to the kitchen, stressing the importance of home-cooked meals and family dinners to physical health and family well-being. But new research findings from North Carolina State University show that home cooking and family meals place significant stresses on many families – and are simply… 

Jul 22, 2014

Conducting Defining Research: A Defining Experience for Undergrads

Creating new knowledge. It's one of the big benefits of studying at a research-intensive university like NC State. And conducting important research is not reserved for faculty and graduate students; we encourage undergrads to conduct research, too. Check out this video -- made by students in Advanced Digital Video -- to learn about three such undergraduate research projects. 

Jun 17, 2014

In Ancient Artifacts, A Newfound Passion

First generation student Jordan Karlis (History and Anthropology) traveled to Jordan to participate in an archaeological dig in 2012. She was hooked on the research and returned to Amman to present her findings at an international conference. Students in an advanced digital video class made this video to explain Jordan's research and to share her transformation from shy student to engaged scholar. 

May 7, 2014

This is What Science Looks Like at NC State

NC State's research blog, the Abstract, has initiated a series of posts that highlight the diversity of researchers at our university. Featured CHASS faculty include a psychologist, an anthropologist, and a health communication researcher. 

Apr 28, 2014

The Trials of the Cherokee Were Reflected In Their Skulls

NC State forensic anthropologist Ann Ross and other researchers have found that environmental stressors – from the Trail of Tears to the Civil War – led to significant changes in the shape of skulls in the eastern and western bands of the Cherokee people. The findings highlight the role of environmental factors in shaping our physical characteristics.