Dr. Emerson is Professor and Head in the Department of Sociology at the University of Illinois Chicago, with a courtesy appointment in the College of Urban Planning and Public Policy. He has published widely in the areas of race, religion, and urban sociology. He is the author of 15 books and nearly 100 other publications, secured over 7 million dollars in research grants, helped secure over 20 million dollars in institutional grants, and has won several national awards for his research.