Paula Fomby

Paula Fomby is a **Professor of Sociology** and the **Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term Professor in the Social Sciences** at the **University of Pennsylvania**, affiliated with the **School of Arts & Sciences** and the **Department of Sociology**. Her research focuses on family dynamics, social inequality, and child well-being, particularly in contexts of economic and racialized disparities. She designs and analyzes nationally representative surveys, such as the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), to study family systems and child outcomes.

**Education**:

• PhD in Sociology, University of Wisconsin (2001)
• MS in Sociology, University of Wisconsin (1997)
• BA in History, University of California, Berkeley (1991)

**Research Interests**:
Dr. Fomby examines how family composition, economic resources, and social institutions shape children’s life chances. Her work highlights racial differences in marriage patterns, extended kinship systems, and intergenerational inequality. Recent studies explore nonresident parent wealth, digital technology’s impact on youth, and the longitudinal effects of family instability.

**Grants & Collaborations**:
Her research is supported by the **Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development** and the **National Science Foundation**. She collaborates on large-scale projects like the PSID, contributing to data collection and methodological innovations.

**Key Themes in Articles**:
Her recent work analyzes socioeconomic disparities in genetic-environmental interactions, family instability’s long-term effects, and policy interventions targeting racialized inequalities. She critiques overemphasis on marriage in family policy and advocates for equitable resource distribution across diverse family structures.

**Labs/Teams**:
She is deeply involved in the **Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID)**, a longitudinal study of U.S. families, and contributes to cross-cohort analyses of technology use and child development.