Kate Choi named as Western University Faculty Scholar

March 17, 2022

Kate Choi, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, and Director of the Centre for Research on Social Inequality

Photo by Paul Mayne

Kate Choi, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, and Director of the Centre for Research on Social Inequality (CRSI) has been named as a Western University Faculty Scholar for 2022.

Choi is a demographer and quantitative sociologist who examine the nature, determinants and consequences of social inequality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her work has provided focus to the heightened impact of the disease on racial minority and immigrant communities. She mobilized this research finding by doing over 100 interviews with major media outlets such as CBC and Global News. She is a regular contributor in international venues like Psychology Today, The Conversation, and the Council of Contemporary Family’s Society Page.

“It is a great honor for me to be named as a faculty scholar. I am extremely grateful to the faculty and the university for recognizing my work,” said Choi. “The award will serve as an encouragement for me to work even harder on my research highlighting the plight of the disadvantaged, particularly during a pandemic that has amplified existing social inequalities.”

As Director of CRSI, part of the Network for Economics and Social Trends, Choi has revitalized the centre’s speaker series, and increased visibility of the centre. She also has roles with the American Sociological Association and the Population Association of America.

Choi maintains a strong teaching record and has developed several popular undergraduate classes in the field of family demography, migration, and population health.

“Research and teaching are frequently discussed as separate spheres in the life of an academic. In reality, the two activities are closely linked,” said Choi. “Conducting research is something that I truly love and enjoy. It allows me to solve complicated puzzles affecting the lives of many individuals and contribute to the body of scholarly work. Teaching gives me the opportunity to share researcher findings in the broad literature with an audience of future experts.”

Established in 2005, the Faculty Scholars Award recognizes significant recent scholarly achievements in teaching or research. Nominated by faculty deans and selected by the Faculty Selection committee chaired by the Provost, the recipients have an international presence in their discipline and are considered all-round scholars. Winners hold the title “Faculty Scholar” for two years and receive $7,000 each year for scholarly activities, as well as receiving a citation.