Distinguished Professor Richard Alba (Credit: Princeton University Press)

 

Distinguished Professor Richard Alba (Sociology) was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors in academia, in recognition of his vast body of work on race, ethnicity, immigration, and the sweeping demographic changes in the United States.

“I cannot imagine anything more gratifying than to be recognized in this way for the research that one has devoted a lifetime to,” Alba said.

Alba is part of the Center for Urban Research at The Graduate Center, and previously served as its acting director. He has served as president of the Eastern Sociological Society and as vice president of the American Sociological Association.

A prolific scholar and author, Alba has also written articles for the general public. In his 2015 op-ed for The New York Times, “The Myth of a White Minority,” he emphasized the need “to measure and redress inequalities.” He is frequently cited in the press as an expert on demographic categories, such as those used by the Census Bureau.

His forthcoming book, The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream, explores why the number of young Americans with ethno-racially mixed backgrounds is rising and the pivotal role they will play in the country’s future.

Alba’s recent books include The Next Generation: Immigrant Youth in a Comparative Perspective (co-edited with Mary Waters) and Blurring the Color Line: The New Chance for a More Integrated America.