Michael Schulman

Michael Schulman, PhD, is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Sociology at North Carolina State University. He holds an adjunct appointment in Health Behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. His research focuses on rural sociology, agricultural sociology, and occupational health, examining socioeconomic adaptations to economic changes, labor market dynamics, and health disparities. He has led projects on farmer stress, textile worker adaptations, and obesity disparities in schools. Schulman has received multiple awards for research and mentoring, including NC State’s Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award (2017) and the Rural Sociological Society’s Excellence in Research Award (2012). He collaborated with RAFI on farm stress initiatives and led USDA-funded projects addressing food systems and obesity prevention. His work integrates interdisciplinary approaches with community engagement.

Education: BA in Sociology (Pomona College), MS and PhD in Sociology (University of Wisconsin-Madison).

Research Interests: Structural changes in agriculture, occupational hazards, rural health, and the social impacts of economic restructuring. Active in applied research through grants like the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN-South) and multi-level obesity prevention programs in North Carolina counties. His work emphasizes bridging academic research with practical solutions for marginalized communities.

Grants highlight collaborations with Extension services, NGOs, and state agencies to address food security, farmer well-being, and sustainable agriculture. Over 30 years, his projects have totaled over $2M in funding, focusing on resilience in rural economies and public health interventions.