Robert (Rob) D. Mare passed away on Monday February 1, 2021. Mare began his career in the Department of Sociology at UW–Madison as an Assistant Professor in 1977 and he served as Director of the Center for Demography and Ecology (CDE) from 1989 to 1994. He moved to the University of California, Los Angeles in 1998 where he served as Director of the California Center for Population Research and was a Distinguished Professor of Sociology.
Mare made important contributions to many research areas including stratification, demography, family, education, and neighborhood research. He was an exceptional teacher and generous mentor who advised many students at UW–Madison and UCLA. Mare served as President of the Population Association of America in 2010, and he received numerous awards and honors over his career, including being elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 2010.
Mare is survived by his spouse, Judith (Judy) Seltzer, who was a Professor of Sociology at UCLA and was previously a faculty member in Sociology and CDE at UW–Madison.
A memorial service is being planned. Donations to the L.A. Regional Food Bank in memory of Rob (coordinated by their UCLA colleague and UW–Madison alum, Jennie Brand) can be given here.