In this episode of For Sociology, host Kevin Caners speaks with Kathleen Mullan Harris, recipient of the 2023 Kohli Infrastructure Prize for Sociology. Harris discusses her pivotal role in Add Health, a groundbreaking, nationally representative longitudinal study launched in the mid-1990s that has tracked over 20,000 individuals from adolescence to adulthood.

The conversation delves into the study’s origins, methodologies, and major contributions, highlighting how Add Health has advanced our understanding of the intersections between social, biological, and health factors across the life course. Harris also shares insights into the challenges of managing such a large-scale study and her vision for its future—aiming to follow participants throughout the entire course of their lives. 

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction 00:44 – Meet Kathleen Mullan Harris: 2023 Kohli Infrastructure Prize Winner 02:33 – The Origins and Evolution of Add Health 05:12 – Challenges and Innovations in Add Health 06:26 – The Scale and Scope of the Study 08:49 – Data Collection and Participant Involvement 11:55 – Genetic Sampling and Oversampling 16:53 – Data Accessibility and Impact 20:49 – The Unexpected Success of Add Health 21:40 – Transition to a Longitudinal Study 22:03 – Innovations in Wave 4 23:57 – Integrating Biological and Social Factors 26:19 – Wave 5 and Future Directions 26:46 – Challenges in Longitudinal Research 29:09 – Significant Findings from Add Health 31:30 – Health Trajectories and Socioeconomic Factors 33:17 – Race, Ethnicity, and Social Mobility 34:41 – Personal Reflections and Sociological Insights 40:00 – The Future of Add Health and Sociology 41:29 – Conclusion and Farewell