Since its founding in 1967, the Center for Demography and Population Health (CDPH) has been a hub for interdisciplinary research and education. Founded by Charles B. Nam, Ph.D., a professor of sociology and former chair of the Sociology Department at FSU, the center was initially called the Population and Manpower Resource Center.
In an effort to expand the center, Dr. Nam recruited David Sly, Ph.D., and Bob Weller, Ph.D., both of whom were professors in the Department of Sociology, as well as Tom Espenshade, Ph.D., an associate professor of economics. To this day, the center brings in professors from the departments of sociology economics, urban and regional planning, public health, and African American studies.
In 1985, under the leadership of Dr. Sly, the center was recognized as an independent unit of the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (COSSPP). Since Dr. Sly’s time as director, the center has been led by six other directors: William Serow, Ph.D. (1990-2003), Elwood Carlson, Ph.D. (2003-2007), Isaac Eberstein, Ph.D. (2007-2010), Karin Brewster, Ph.D. (2010-2018), and Carl Schmertmann, Ph.D. (2018-2022).
Currently directed by John Taylor, Ph.D., the center continues to grow as a unit within COSSPP, producing timely research and bringing acclaim to the college and FSU.
Over its 56-year history, CDPH has expanded its offerings to include a Master of Science in Demography (MSD), and a joint master’s program with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning that enables students to earn both an MSD and a Master of Science in Planning (MSP). Additionally, CDPH offers an undergraduate minor in Population Studies and a combined pathways program, which gives student the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree and the MSD in a reduced time frame.
Currently, FSU is the only public university in the Southeast that offers an MSD program. Our program continues to be recognized among the nation’s elite public universities according to independent evaluations by College Factual and boasts a 100% employment rate for recent graduates.
Master’s Programs
The Master of Science in Demography (MSD) program was established in 1984 after being approved by the Florida Board of Regents and is now the longest-running MSD program in the nation. The program was initially two years but has since been adjusted to allow students to complete it in one year.
Throughout the program students learn about real-world issues affecting populations. The curriculum provides students with a firm understanding of demographic techniques and the statistical analysis of demographic data and assists in preparing students for careers in research and data-intensive positions in public and private sectors.
In addition to the MSD program, the center works with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning to offer a joint pathway graduate degree program. This program allows students to pursue an MSD and a Master of Science in Planning (MSP) simultaneously.
Undergraduate students may also work towards an MSD through the combined pathways program. The pathways program allows students to count up to twelve graduate-level courses to both their bachelor’s and master’s, while applying undergraduate tuition assistance such as Bright Futures and Florida Pre-Paid to those credits.
Other Programming
In addition to its graduate programs, the center offers an undergraduate minor in Population Studies. The multidisciplinary minor provides an overview of population studies, a field that is concerned with the size, composition, and distribution of human populations, as well as how and why these characteristics change.
Through the coursework for this minor, students discover the impact of population variables and processes on nearly every issue of public concern, including population aging, rising health care costs, national security, the economy, and climate change.
While the center does not offer a doctoral program, students may include demography courses in their coursework when pursuing a Ph.D. in sociology. Prospective students are invited to meet with individual CDPH faculty to discuss available opportunities.
Outside of degree programs, the CDPH also offers lectures throughout the year that aim to engage faculty and students beyond the classroom. The Brown Bag Lecture Series consists of casual discussions hosted several times a semester by professors researching topics in demography. The lectures feature professors from FSU and from other universities with strong demographic programs.
The center also hosts the Annual Charles B. Nam Lecture in the Sociology of Population every spring. The annual lecture was established by Elwood “Woody” Carlson, Ph.D., and is named after Dr. Nam. The lecture series recognizes Dr. Nam’s significant contributions to the center, the college, and the university.
The Annual Charles B. Nam Lecture in the Sociology of Population brings in leading demographers from other institutions to share their recent research in topics related to demography and population health. In 2024, the Annual Lecture featured Jennifer Kara Montez, Ph.D., a professor of sociology at Syracuse University, who discussed the topic “U.S. States and Population Health: What do we know and where do we go from here?”
Research
Many members of the CDPH faculty share the belief that to be effective, public policy must be firmly grounded in an understanding of population characteristics and demographic processes.
The center has supported evidence-based public policy through interdisciplinary research on demographic processes and population health. Research focuses include children and families, disparities in health and survival, the environment, fertility and reproductive health, stress processes, and statistical and mathematical demography.
In 2022, CDPH Faculty Associates Michael McFarland, associate professor of sociology, and Mathew Hauer, Ph.D., associate director of the center and associate professor of sociology, co-authored a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) which estimates that exposure to lead has robbed Americans of 2.6 IQ points per person on average.
The study garnered widespread media interest in over 850 articles from outlets like ABC, NBC, NPR, US News, Web MD, USA Today, and more. Its findings were also mentioned on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, reaching over 2 million of the show’s viewers.
Dr. Hauer, one of the researchers on that project, is the current Charles B. Nam Professor in the Sociology of Population. The professorship was established in 2003, with a significant contribution from Dr. Nam, to attract highly regarded demographers to the CDPH. Dr. Hauer’s appointment recognizes his exceptional contributions to research in demography, unwavering commitment to academic excellence, and dedication to his scholarship and teaching.
Additionally, Matthew Brooks, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, recently co-authored “Are Rural Areas Holdouts in the Second Demographic Transition? Evidence From Canada and the United States,” published in the journal Demography.
Dr. Brooks’ research examines how families living in rural areas of the United States are rapidly changing and increasingly becoming “untraditional” and how rural America’s declining economic profile drives these changes.
In 2021 CDPH faculty members Kathryn Tillman, Ph.D., professor of sociology and chair of the Department of Sociology, and Karin Brewster, Ph.D., professor of sociology, co-authored an article titled “Timing of First Sexual Experience with a Same-Sex Partner: A Life Course Approach,” which published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior.
Other recent research covers topics such as the effects of socioeconomic status on disabilities, health inequality and the gender system, and community health concerns.
Distinguished Faculty
The center has many dedicated and notable faculty members who have contributed to its prestige. Several retired faculty have been honored with the distinction of professor emeriti: Charles B. Nam, Ph.D.; Isaac “Ike” Eberstein, Ph.D.; Elwood “Woody” Carlson, Ph.D.; and Carl Schmertmann, Ph.D.
CDPH faculty members have also taken on leadership roles within the college. Katrinell Davis, Ph.D., serves as director of the African American Studies Program, while Patricia Homan, Ph.D., serves as the director of research and strategic initiatives for the Public Health Program.
Miles Taylor, Ph.D., is the current director for the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy. Kathryn Tillman, Ph.D., is the chair for the Department of Sociology.
For more information about the department’s current programs and activities, visit coss.fsu.edu/cdph. For more information about our college’s history as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary, visit coss.fsu.edu/50th.