Last updated on: 2/6/2012 | Author: ProCon.org

Peter Bearman, PhD Biography

Title:
Director of the Paul F. Lazarsfeld Center for the Social Sciences at Columbia University
Position:
Con to the question "Is Sexual Orientation Determined at Birth?"
Reasoning:

“We also consider and reject a speculative evolutionary theory that rests on observing birth-order effects on same-sex orientation. In contrast, our results support the hypothesis that less gendered socialization in early childhood and preadolescence shapes subsequent same-sex romantic preferences.”

Cowritten with Hannah Brückner, “Opposite-Sex Twins and Same-Sex Attraction,” American Journal of Sociology, 2002
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with PhDs or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to human sexuality. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to human sexuality.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Jonathan Cole Professor of the Social Sciences, Columbia University, 2006-present
  • Director, Mellon Interdisciplinary Training Program in the Humanities and Social Sciences, 2006-present
  • Founding Codirector, Global Health Research Center in Central Asia, 2006-present
  • External Faculty, Nuffield College (Oxford, United Kingdom), 2005-present
  • Codirector, Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars Program, 2001-present
  • Director, Paul F. Lazarsfeld Center for the Social Sciences, Columbia University, 1999-present
  • Founding Director, Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University, 2000-2008
  • Chair, Department of Statistics, Columbia University, 2007-2008
  • Chair, Department of Sociology, Columbia University, 2001-2005
  • Visiting Professor of Sociology, DISPOS, University of Genova (Genoa, Italy), 2002-2003
  • Professor of Sociology, Columbia University, 1998-2006
  • Adjunct Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNCCH), 1998-2001
  • Professor of Sociology, UNCCH, 1996-1997
  • Associate Professor of Sociology, UNCCH, 1991-1996
  • Assistant Professor of Sociology, UNCCH, 1986-1991
Education:
  • PhD, Sociology, Harvard University
  • MA, Sociology, Harvard University
  • BA, Sociology, Brown University, 1978
Other:
  • Recipient, NIH Pioneer Award to study autism, 2007
  • Elected Fellow of the American Association of the Arts and Sciences, 2007