Melanie Hughes to Serve as Sociology Program Director with National Science Foundation

Melanie Hughes, professor of sociology in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and co-director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Gender Inequality Research Lab, will serve as sociology program director with the National Science Foundation (NSF) starting this month.

Her appointment is part of NSF’s rotating program director initiative through which university faculty work at the federal agency for a period of one to three years. Hughes will help manage the NSF grant review process to determine which sociology proposals will be recommended for funding. She will also work with program directors in other divisions and directorates to pursue NSF’s broader objectives, as well as conduct outreach to inform sociologists about how NSF works and to encourage them to submit research proposals. While in the position, rotating program officers are also permitted to continue their scholarly research.