Two Crown Family School Faculty Awarded Named Professorships

The University of Chicago has awarded two named professorships to faculty members at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, recognizing their outstanding scholarship, teaching, and contributions to their respective fields.

Effective July 1, 2026, E. Summerson Carr, PhD, has been appointed the Hermon Dunlap Smith Professor, and Ming-Te Wang, EdD, has been named the inaugural Kersten Professor in the Wallman Society of Fellows, following approval by the University of Chicago Board of Trustees.

Named professorships are among the University's highest faculty honors, recognizing scholars whose research, teaching, and service have made enduring contributions to knowledge and society. These appointments reflect the Crown Family School's continued leadership in advancing research that informs policy, strengthens practice, and improves lives.

"Please join me in congratulating Summerson and Ming-Te on these well-deserved honors," said Deborah Gorman-Smith, PhD, Dean of the Crown Family School and Emily Klein Gidwitz Professor. "We look forward to celebrating their achievements."

Honoring excellence in anthropology and the helping professions

Carr's appointment recognizes her internationally renowned scholarship examining the intersections of cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, social work, and the helping professions.

Through decades of ethnographic research, Carr has explored how professional expertise is cultivated, communicated, and practiced within behavioral health, social services, and clinical settings. Her work has expanded the understanding of institutional life while shaping conversations about care, ethics, language, and professional identity across disciplines.

As a scholar whose work bridges anthropology and social work, Carr's research exemplifies the Crown Family School's commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry and scholarship that addresses complex social challenges.

Advancing educational opportunity through research

Wang's appointment as the inaugural Kersten Professor in the Wallman Society of Fellows recognizes his internationally recognized contributions to education research and youth development.

His scholarship focuses on understanding how schools, families, communities, and sociocultural environments influence student learning, motivation, engagement, and well-being. His research has informed educational practice and policy while advancing evidence-based approaches that promote educational equity and opportunity for children and adolescents.

As Faculty Director of the Kersten Institute for Urban Education, Wang also leads collaborative research that connects scholarship with practice to strengthen educational outcomes in schools and communities.

Advancing the Crown Family School's mission

The appointments of Carr and Wang further reinforce the Crown Family School's position as a leader in interdisciplinary scholarship that addresses society's most pressing challenges. Their research reflects the school's mission to generate knowledge, prepare future leaders, and advance a more just and humane society through research, teaching, and service.

The Crown Family School congratulates Professors Carr and Wang on this distinguished recognition and celebrates the impact of their scholarship on the University and in our communities.