Adrienne Lee Atterberry

Adrienne Lee Atterberry serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (FAHSS). Her research examines transnational families, parenting practices, and intergenerational dynamics among mobile middle- and upper-class populations globally.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, Syracuse University (Dissertation: "Cultivating a New Transnational Elite: Parenting, Schooling, and Belonging in the Age of Global IT")
• M.A. in Sociology and M.A. in Media Studies, Syracuse University (Thesis: "Nationalism on the Net: Exploring the Ideology of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party")
• B.S. in Economics and B.A. in English Literature, University of Pittsburgh (Summa Cum Laude)

Dr. Atterberry investigates how class and ethnic identity shape family dynamics across borders, focusing on children's agency in securing educational resources and identity formation during international mobility. Her work bridges migration studies, family sociology, and childhood studies with empirical research spanning India, the US, and global contexts.

Recent publications (2022-2025) reveal consistent themes: migration as a social mobility strategy (return migrant families in India), intergenerational care (Korean grandparent caregivers in the US), and neoliberal pressures in elite education. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary engagement with sociology, education, and migration studies while highlighting transnational class reproduction.

Key honors include:

• Co-Chair for the Committee on the Status of Ethnicity, Race, and Racism (Eastern Sociological Society, 2025-2028)
• Chair of the Candace Rogers Award (Eastern Sociological Society, 2025-2026)
• Sociologist of the Month, Current Sociology (October 2022)
• All-University Doctoral Prize for Sociology, Syracuse University (2022)

She received a Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Grant at UMass Lowell and actively translates research through public scholarship, including co-editing the "Childhood and Migration" blog series and developing a podcast on transnational youth experiences. Her editorial work on "Children and Youths’ Migration in a Global Landscape" indicates scholarly mentorship despite no listed formal advisees.