Christine Himes

Newly appointed Lewis College of Human Sciences Dean Christine Himes begins her role at Illinois Tech on Tuesday, July 1, 2014.

“I’m excited to be joining Illinois Tech and to be leading Lewis College of Human Sciences,” Himes said. “While much effort has been put into training leaders in the development of new technology, I believe it is equally important to train leaders who understand the role technology plays in our everyday lives and in shaping society more broadly. In that regard, Lewis College at Illinois Tech is poised to play an important role in educating students who will be the creative innovators of the future.”

Himes’ expertise is in the areas of demography of aging, family care giving, and patterns of health and mortality in later life. Her recent research examines the role of obesity in health and functioning at older ages. She has served as a consultant to the Bureau of the Census and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Her work on aging and health has appeared in several sociology and gerontology journals.

Himes received her Ph.D. in demography and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1989. She was a faculty member of the Pennsylvania State University from 1989 to 1995. She joined Syracuse University in 1995 where she served as Director of the Center for Policy Research (2009-2012).

At Syracuse, Himes was awarded the Daniel Patrick Moynihan award for outstanding junior faculty member in 1999 and was recognized as University Scholar/Teacher of the Year in 2007. In 2008, she was named Maxwell Professor of Sociology in recognition of her contributions in teaching, research, and service to the Maxwell School. She is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and serves on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Health Statistics.

Himes was recently profiled by her alma mater, Purdue University. Read that interview here.