User:Gillian Sociology/sandbox/Julia McQuillan

Julia McQuillan (born March 13, 1965) is a professor of sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she is also department chair of sociology. She helped to create a public dataset for fertility with colleagues in 2010 called The National Survey of Fertility Barriers.

Life
McQuillan attended University of Connecticut where she received her master's degree in sociology in 1991 and her PhD in sociology in 1998.

Her research focuses on the changing structures of social inequality that affect equity and wellbeing. McQuillan also enjoys using her interests in health and inequality to educate youth to pursue scientific careers with meaning. She has written various articles pertaining to social inequity and founded several studies with colleagues to explore the changing social structures in the United States. In her research, McQuillan employs the sociological perspectives at all levels of individual, interactive, and institutional, while using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

McQuillan teaches classes in social psychology, women's and gender studies, and health.

Contributions (selection)

 * Hill, P. W., McQuillan, J., Spiegel, A.N., & Diamond, J. (2018). Discovery orientation, cognitive schemas, and disparities in science identity in early adolescence. Sociological Perspectives 61(1), 99-125. doi:10.1177/0731121417724774.

In the above listed work, McQuillan and several colleagues used a cognitive social theoretical framework to analyze middle school age children in the United States and the disparities that these children face in the scientific learning world. This study advanced knowledge of how attitudes towards science may contribute to less representation in young girls following scientific career interests and paths.


 * McQuillan, Julia, Arthur L. Greil, Karina M. Shreffler, and Andrew V. Bedrous. 2015. “The Importance of Motherhood and Fertility Intentions among U.S. Women.” Sociological Perspectives. 58 (1) 20-35.

In the above listed work, McQuillan helped to expand understanding of how fertility intentions are important to the development of a motherhood identity.

In 2017, McQuillan was invited to give a TEDxTalk at Lincoln, NE where she delivered a talk about how to find science kinds of people and therefore challenged the idea of the usual scientist.

Awards/Recognition
McQuillan is the 2018 Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) Distinguished Feminist Lecturer. She has also been recognized for her numerous publications on social inequities, and for her perspectives on science in society through her service roles with the American Sociological Association.

McQuillan spearheaded the research that launched the National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) for a project called "Biology of Human".

McQuillan is currently leading a project for SEPA called Worlds of Connections that will connect young students with bio-behavioral and biomedical careers.