Dec 20, 2011

Nathalie Williams, a Carolina Population Center Postdoctoral Scholar, is a recipient of UNC’s 2011 Postdoctoral Awards for Research Excellence. Williams is one of ten scholars to receive the prestigious award. All recipients received a plaque and an award of $1,000 at a ceremony in November.

A 2009 graduate of the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in Sociology, Williams has since worked under the guidance of CPC Faculty Fellow Barbara Entwisle. Some of Williams’ key research focuses are armed conflict, social change and migration. Her forthcoming paper “Coping with Conflict: Do Community Organizations Moderate the Effect of Armed Conflict on Migration?” will be published in Population Studies, and another paper, “A Micro-Level Approach to Investigating Armed Conflict and Population Responses,” will be published in Demography.

Williams said: “The academic and popular attention to refugees leads us to forget that the majority of people living in situations of armed conflict do not migrate away.  It is the conditions under which they live and their decisions, strategies, and well-being that motivates much of my work.”

Interim Director of CPC, Paul Voss, states that this award not only represents recognition and honor for Dr. Williams personally.  It also reflects on the Carolina Population Center, and draws well deserved attention to the innovative and path-breaking population research being advanced by the early career scholars associated with our Center.  We’re all delighted and extremely proud of Dr. Williams’ recognition.

Read the University Gazette’s announcement about the award here.