Led by Center Director and Duke Professor of Sociology Gary Gereffi, the CGGC has brought together a team of full-time professional researchers, adjunct faculty, outside consultants and a group of enormously talented graduate and undergraduate students to engage in its research projects."Everything we do," says Gereffi, "is a product of the team approach." We invite you to meet our growing team.
Graduate Students |
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MICHELLE CHRISTIAN
Michelle Christian is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology department at Duke University. She expects to graduate in 2010/2011. In her dissertation, Michelle is exploring how the organizational structure of global tourism together with state development policies impact racial and ethnic minority groups in three cities in Costa Rica. Michelle has a B.A in International Studies from Seattle University and an M.A. in Sociology from Duke University. Much of her work with CGGC has focused on global health outcomes, particularly childhood obesity. She has participated in projects for the World Health Organization and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which have focused on addressing how the global value chains of food industries shape the types of foods that are available in retail outlets and at given prices. Michelle explains that these global forces are part of the risk factors that shape food choices that can potentially impact childhood obesity. |
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RYAN DENNISTON
Ryan Denniston is a Ph.D. student in the Sociology Department at Duke University, with a focus on globalization, institutions, and varieties of industry change in the tobacco and hog farm industries. He will graduate in May 2009. Ryan’s research within CGGC focuses on agriculture, institutions, and U.S.
industry 1970-2000. He holds a B.A. in Political Science/Sociology from Duke University (2001) and a Master’s in Sociology from Duke University (2004). |
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STACEY FREDERICK
Stacey Frederick is a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University in the Textile Technology Management program. She expects to graduate in Summer 2009. Her Ph.D. dissertation topic is “Analyzing, Visualizing and Connecting the Textile Value Chain.” Stacey has a B.S. from North Carolina State University (May 2006). Her research focus at CGGC is on North Carolina in the Global Economy, Nanotechnology in Society, and value chain research in general. |
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ESRA GULER
Esra Guler will graduate in September 2008 with a Master's degree in International Development Policy from Duke University's Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy. She has a B.A. in Business Administration from Middle East Technical University in Turkey. Esra’s Master’s topic is “Industrial Upgrading in Turkey.” Her Research with CGGC focuses on textiles and the apparel industry, the gold and jewelry industry, and decent work in global production networks. |
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JOONKOO LEE
Joonkoo Lee is a Ph.D. student in the department of Sociology at Duke University. He hopes to complete his degree in May 2011. His Ph.D. dissertation topic is “Animating Cultural Production: The Social Construction of the Animation Industry in India and South Korea, 1960-2005.” He has a B.A. and an M.A. in Sociology from Seoul National University in South Korea. Joonkoo's research at CGGC focuses on global agriculture and the relevance of food value chains to health. |
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KIMBERLY ROGERS
Kimberly Rogers received her B.A. in Psychology from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in 2003, and her M.A. in Psychology from Wake Forest University in 2005. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in the Department of Sociology at Duke University, with an expected completion date of May 2011. Prior to joining the Duke Sociology, Kimberly was a research lab coordinator with the Fuqua School of Business, managing projects pertaining to social influences on consumer behavior. Her current research with the Center brings a global value chains perspective to analyses of competitiveness and upgrading in the North American automotive industry. |
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YUBER ROMERO
Yuber Romero is in the Master’s Program in International Development Policy
(PIDP) at the Terry Sanford Institute for Public Policy at Duke University. He
will graduate in May 2009. He has a B.A. in Production Engineering from Eafit University in Medellin, Colombia. Yuber’s research at CGGC focuses on supply
chain analysis of clean technologies (truck anti-idling technologies), as well
as IT global value chains. Prior to joining the PIDP program, Yuber
worked as a
consultant for the Colombian government and local NGOs in project planning and
project management, providing support to communities in governmental and
international programs of financial and technical cooperation in small-scale
enterprise development. Yuber took the course in Organization and Global
Competitiveness with Professor Gary Gereffi in Spring 2008. |
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KRISTEN WINTERSTEEN
Kristen Wintersteen is a Ph.D. student in the History department at Duke University. She hopes to complete her degree in May 2011. Her Ph.D. dissertation topic is “Environmental History of the Fisheries of Chile and Peru.” Kristin has a double B.A. in Latin American Studies and Spanish from the University of Washington (2001). Her research at CGGC focuses on Global Value Chains (chicken and animal feeds). From September 2008 to August 2009, Kristin will undertake 12 months of dissertation research in Peru and Chile, with the support of a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Award. |
Undergraduate Students |
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KAROLINA HARALDSDOTTIR
Karolina Haraldsdottir is a Duke undergraduate who will graduate in May 2010 with an international comparative studies major and a Markets and Management certificate. Karolina is assisting with the Supply Chains for the Green Economy project. Her areas of research focus on auxiliary power units for long-haul trucks and super soil systems for hog farming. Karolina is originally from Iceland and she competes in the heptathlon for the Duke varsity women's track and field team. |
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JENNIFER KIM
Jennifer Kim is a Duke undergraduate who will graduate in May 2010 with majors in Public Policy Studies and English and a certificate in Markets & Management Studies. Jennifer’s areas of study with the CGGC include North Carolina in the Global Economy, North Carolina-China Relations, Real Estate Industry Analyses for the Environmental Defense Fund, and value chains research. Jennifer hails from Austin, TX. Currently, she is enjoying a summer study abroad program in Geneva, Switzerland. |
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ANDREW KINDMAN
Andrew Kindman is a Duke undergraduate who will graduate in May 2010
with majors
in Political Science and Economics. Andrew's areas of research with CGGC focus
on North Carolina in the Global Economy and other value chain research. Andrew
hails form Durham, North Carolina and is spending the summer of 2008 on a
Benjamin N. Duke sponsored internship in Paraguay. |
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JESS ROBINSON
Jess Robinson is a Duke undergraduate who will graduate in May 2009 with a major in English and a certificate in Markets & Management Studies. Jess’ research focus at the CGGC will be the Supply Chains for the Green Economy series for the Environmental Defense Fund. Jess hails from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and is a member of the Duke women’s varsity tennis team. |
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YISEL VALDES
Yisel Valdes is a Duke undergraduate student who will graduate in May 2009 with a major in Sociology. Yisel's research with CGGC focuses on the links between multinational companies and obesity in the U.S., Mexico and China. Yisel hails from Miami, Florida but was born in Cuba. |
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AILEEN ZHANG
Aileen Zhang is a Duke undergraduate who will graduate in December 2008 with a major in Economics. Aileen’s research with the CGGC focuses on the global value chain approach to childhood obesity and work in the area of North Carolina in the Global Economy. Aileen hails from Richmond, Virginia, and Waunakee, Wisconsin. |
