Dorothy Swain Thomas, highly regarded American sociologist and economist, is often known for her many contributions to the field of population statistics. Dr. Thomas, the first female professor at Wharton College as a research professor of sociology, even went on to become the 42nd president of the American Sociological Association (ASA). In honor of her life’s work and impact on sociology studies, the Population Association of America (PAA) offers the Dorothy S. Thomas Award annually recognizing the best graduate student paper on the interrelationships among social, economic, and demographic variables. 

U-M Sociology’s Erin Ice has been chosen as the 2023 Dorothy S. Thomas Award winner for her paper, "Bringing Family Demography Back In: A Life Course Approach to the Gender Gap in Caregiving in the United States.” Erin’s paper was also recently granted the 2023 Honorable Mention for Aging and the Life Course’s Graduate Student Paper Award by the American Sociological Association. 

Erin now joins the growing list of U-M faculty or students who have won the Dorothy S. Thomas Award. Some of these past winners include Christina Cross (2020 winner, U-M Soc alum and current Assistant Professor at Harvard), Margaret Gough (2010 winner, U-M Soc alum and current Social Science Analyst at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), Alexandra Killewald (2010 winner, U-M Soc alum and current U-M Soc Professor), and Sarah Burgard (2003 winner, current U-M Soc Professor).

Erin spoke with the Institute for Social Research’s Population Studies Center about the role that the U-M has played in her academic and professional trajectory. “This paper is a testament to how I’ve been stimulated during my training at the University of Michigan… From workshops, to writing groups, to grant funding, to conference support, and above all, the generous support from many faculty and fellow graduate students, I have been greatly nourished by the Institute for Social Research and the Sociology Department,” Erin says. 

Congratulations to Erin Ice on her latest award, and Go Blue!