Sarah Mustillo, a professor of sociology, has been named chair of the department, beginning this fall.
Mustillo, whose research involves the effects of adverse childhood experiences on health and mental health trajectories, came to Notre Dame in 2014 after time at Purdue University and the Duke University School of Medicine.
She will be the first woman to chair the department.
“I am so pleased that someone so well-prepared is taking on the job,” said Rory McVeigh, the current chair and a professor of sociology. “She has a well-earned reputation for rigorous research—she’s one of the top quantitative methodologists in the country—and she has an outstanding teaching reputation.
“She sets a high standard of excellence for faculty and graduate students to rise up to.”
Mustillo earned her bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame in 1996, majoring in sociology and gender studies, then earned her Ph.D. at Duke University. With McVeigh and Professor Omar Lizardo, she edits the American Sociological Review, and her research has been published in the American Journal of Public Health, the American Journal of Sociology, and the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, among others.
“Under the leadership of Rory McVeigh, the department has experienced tremendous growth and scholarly achievement,” she said. “I hope to build on these successes and help the department continue on its trajectory toward national prominence and distinction by supporting the innovative research of our extremely talented faculty and continuing to hire accomplished and diverse scholars.
“I would like to increase the quantitative caliber of our graduate program as well as the breadth of our placements, while maintaining a commitment to undergraduate excellence and attracting new majors.”