William Carbonaro

Bill Carbonaro, Assistant Director  (Ph.D., Sociology, University of Wisconsin) is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame. He is currently the director of graduate studies in the Sociology Department, and he serves as assistant director of CREO.

During his time at Notre Dame, Professor Carbonaro's research has examined two main areas: (1) how unequal learning opportunities both within and between schools affect student outcomes, and (2) how education and cognitive skills are linked with economic rewards in the labor market. Professor Carbonaro is currently working on several papers (with Joseph Workman) that focus on how friendship and peer relationships affect student outcomes. Thus far, the findings indicate that students' more distant social relationships ("weak ties") are more influential for achievement and attainment outcomes.

Professor Carbonaro is also working with Guillermo Montt on two papers that examine how education and cognitive skills affect income growth over the course of workers' careers. The results indicate college educated workers are much more likely to experience substantial income growth over the career, and much less likely to experience significant income loss.  Carbonaro has published his research in highly regarded journals such as the American Sociological Review, Social Forces, Sociology of Education, and the American Education Research Journal. 

william_carbonaro_vita_2011.pdf

For more information, see Sociology