Theme: Human Development and Family Sciences
Alan Acock Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 2, 2017
Alan Acock (b. 1944), a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Human Development and
Family Science, chaired OSU's HDFS department for twelve years, beginning with its
creation in 1990. An accomplished scholar in the field of family studies, Acock is
also well-known for his work in quantitative analysis - one particularly influential
book, A Gentle Introduction to Stata, is now in its fifth edition. He has likewise authored major papers on topics including
the impact of divorce on children and improved methods for working with missing statistical
values. In his interview, Acock traces his career as a sociologist at four different
institutions; comments on growth and change within the HDFS department; and lends
insight into his diverse body of scholarship.