Sociologist Stephanie Nawyn has been appointed co-director for academic programs, outreach and engagement for Michigan State University’s Center for Gender in Global Context. Her appointment to the center, known as GenCen, is effective Aug. 15.
Nawyn will develop and manage related academic programs, including the major and minor in women's and gender studies, the graduate specialization in gender studies and the new LGBTQ minor. She’ll also lead the center's outreach and engagement across campus and with community and women's organizations.
“Dr. Nawyn has established herself as an engaged scholar, a community leader and an extraordinary role model for students,” said Anne Ferguson, co-director of the center and senior associate dean for International Studies and Programs. “GenCen will not only benefit from her depth of experience and innovative thinking, but also her passion for the work.”
Nawyn, who joined MSU in 2006, is an associate professor of sociology and core faculty member for GenCen. Her research and teaching areas of expertise are in gender and migration, with a focus on forced migration and the ways that structural inequalities inhibit incorporation. She earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Southern California.
Established in 2007, GenCen is located in International Studies and Programs, which serves as a hub for international programming and research on campus. The center provides gender and women's studies expertise and leadership across MSU’s mission of research, teaching, outreach and service. GenCen is led by co-directors; a search is currently under way to fill the position of co-director for international research and engagement.