Herbert Smith

Herbert L. Smith is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences. He has served as Director of the Population Studies Center (2005-09, 2011-14) and previously held roles such as Associate Dean for the Social Sciences. He is also a former Président of the Commission d’Évaluation at the Institut National d’Études Démographiques (France, 2009-13).

Education:

• Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Michigan, 1982
• M.A. in Sociology, University of Michigan, 1979
• B.A. in History and Sociology, Yale University, 1977

Research Focus: His work spans demographic methods, survey design, and social stratification. Current projects include reducing non-response bias in surveys via 'double sampling' and integrating econometric models with demographic cohort projections for school enrollment forecasts. Past research addressed race differences in childbearing, educational attainment, North China’s family planning systems, and gender-fertility dynamics in South/Southeast Asia.

Awards & Grants:

• Recipient of the Clifford C. Clogg Award (2002)
• Elected member of the Sociological Research Association (1991)
• Principal Investigator on NIH grants (NICHD R01, T32, R24) and foundation grants (Rockefeller, Hewlett, Mellon, Compton)

Labs & Affiliations: Director of the Population Studies Center and active in international demographic networks. His work bridges methodological innovation with sociological theory.