Sociologist Chloe Bird, PhD is awarded the American Sociological Association’s Distinguished Career Award for Practice of Sociology

As many of us are aware, finding a career as an applied sociologist can require one to develop a different set of skills and expertise compared to our scholarly-research-oriented peers. Hence, it is particularly important to recognize those like Chloe Bird, who have forged the way and set an example for how to be successful and create social change using sociological skills and knowledge.

Dr. Chloe Bird of RAND Corporation has been presented with the American Sociological Association’s Distinguished Career Award for the Practice of Sociology at the ASA virtual conference in August 2021. Therefore, this award honors ASA members’ outstanding contributions to sociological practice and we were thrilled to have a chance to congratulate Dr. Bird and gather some of her thoughts on the award.

A Word from Dr. Chloe Bird

Dr. Bird had the following to say about the significance of the award for the discipline of sociology:

“The future of the discipline is in work that can and does have an impact. I contend that much of the best research derives from the connections between more academic and applied sociology. The mechanisms that we build to create and maintain communication between the two supports the discipline as a whole and expands and accelerates opportunities for sociologists to make a difference.”

It’s the work of applied sociologists such as Dr. Bird that pave a sustainable path forward for the discipline of sociology. Dr. Bird also shared the following statement:

“I am honored that the American Sociological Association is recognizing my work on women’s health and healthcare, including my efforts to catalyze breakthrough science through encouraging researchers to ask better questions about sex/gender differences in health and health care, with this prestigious award. The award, established in 1986, is notable in that it points to a long-standing commitment on the part of the ASA to recognizing that sociologists working across a wide array of organizations and settings contribute to both to human welfare and to the discipline. Both the discipline and all sociologists also benefit from the ASA’s growing connections with applied sociologists and their research.”

Chloe Bird, PhD

American Sociological Association

You can read the full write-up from the ASA on Dr. Bird’s work that earned her the award here. Once again, congratulations to Dr. Bird for being recognized for her outstanding contributions to society and to sociology through her practice of applied sociology!