Gary Sandefur

Biography

BA, 1974, Sociology, University of Oklahoma PhD, 1978, Sociology, Stanford Gary says that as a discipline, Sociology provided him the opportunity to learn more about poverty, inequality, racial inequality, and family issues. The Department of Sociology at Wisconsin was a wonderful place to spend most of his career. Gary Sandefur is Dean Emeritus, College of Letters and Science and Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was in the Department of Sociology at Wisconsin for thirty years. He also was on the faculty at the University of Oklahoma from 1978-1984. He finished his career as Provost at Oklahoma State University, where he served for seven years from 2014-2021. He has been a member of advisory committees for the National Academies, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Gary continues to be active in retirement as a member of the Advisory Board for the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (DBASSE) at the National Academies and as a volunteer with the Chatham County United Way. Gary and his wife, Kathy, live in Fearrington Village, North Carolina, just south of Chapel Hill and within a half mile of their two grandchildren.