Elizabeth Gorman

Elizabeth Gorman is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences (A&S). She also serves as Director of Undergraduate Programs. Her research focuses on work, professions, workplace gender and racial inequality, organizations, and quantitative methods. Gorman holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University and a J.D. from the University of Chicago.

Her research explores two central themes: 1) the factors influencing career trajectories and opportunities, including gender and race impacts on hiring, promotion, and work effort; and 2) the societal influence of professional and expert occupations, particularly in global economies. Notable works include studies on gender disparities in corporate law firms, minority representation in elite professions, and organizational policies shaping workplace inequality.

Gorman’s publications appear in top journals like the American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, and Gender and Society. She has co-edited special issues on professional work and contributed chapters to edited volumes such as the Annual Review of Law and Social Science.

Her teaching spans undergraduate and graduate courses on professions, workplace inequality, organizations, and quantitative methods. Gorman’s recent work emphasizes skill development practices in elite firms and the evolving structure of professional work, reflecting her commitment to advancing understanding of systemic inequalities and organizational dynamics.