Elizabeth Alice Frankenberg

Elizabeth Alice Frankenberg is an Adjunct Professor of Public Policy and Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She directs the Carolina Population Center and the Carolina Center for Population Aging and Health. Her research focuses on how individuals and families respond to unexpected changes, particularly through the lens of large-scale disasters like the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. She has led major longitudinal studies in Indonesia, including the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) and the Study of the Tsunami Aftermath and Recovery (STAR), integrating satellite imaging and biomarkers with traditional surveys.

Her work emphasizes the interplay between health, social services, and family dynamics in disaster-affected communities. She has explored long-term impacts of disasters on mental health, mortality, and community rebuilding. Frankenberg has also studied climate-related threats like sea level rise in U.S. coastal regions, combining environmental data with socioeconomic analysis.

Frankenberg’s research spans public health, demography, and disaster response. She has served in leadership roles at the Population Association of America and on editorial boards, including Demography. Her awards include the Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professorship.