Charlotte, NC
Dr. Megan Smith is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Sociology Department and is affiliated with the Gerontology Program the University of North Carolina Charlotte (aka Charlotte). She served as Theme Guide for the recently implement General Education program across the University, is an Honors College Faculty appointee, serves on the Phi Beta Kappa Theta Chapter of North Carolina committee, and was appointed to strategic planning committee for the College of Humanities, Earth, and and Social Sciences. She was inducted as a Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Faculty Member and awarded one of 25 Trailblazer Awards across the eight colleges for her notable contribution to teaching and learning at Charlotte. Dr. Smith earned her Ph.D. at Emory University in 2017, a Master of Arts degree in Sociology at Charlotte in 2011, and a Bachelors of Arts degree at North Carolina State University in Sociology with an Anthropology concentration in 2001.
Her research and teaching interests focus on loneliness, mental health, deviant behavior, and criminology. She serves on committees for Honors College students’ honors projects in these four focus areas. Dr. Smith also mentors students through the Office of Undergraduate Research on current research projects, including supports for aging inmates experiencing mental health problems/disorders, loneliness, and the effects of prolonged social isolation.
Dr. Smith’s work extends beyond the classroom in the forms of community engagement including public speaking, leading workshops, conference presentations, invited talks, spearheading innovative workshops, and writing for public consumption, mostly on the topic of loneliness in different contexts. Additionally, she is working in conjunction with the UNC System writing a handbook and developing strategies to alleviate the burden of loneliness experienced by students, faculty and staff through incremental changes leading to a culture shift in how higher education thinks about and worlds toward solving loneliness.
Her co-authored book is Ties that Enable: Community Solidarity for People Living with Serious Mental Health Problems (Rutgers, 2021) identifies the value of connection among community dwelling adults living with severe and persistent mental illness and how that connection takes shape. She recently co-authored a textbook titled, Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress (Wiley, 2025) on a range of topics.
Megan is a proud aunt and enjoys spending time with her large family and friends. She loves to needlepoint and teaches at the national level. She adores her two cats, Rainier and Glacier, representative of her love of national parks (she has visited 32 of the 63 and numerous NPS units) and travel. In 2023, she achieved her goal of visiting all 50 states where she fell in love with the people, landscape, and history across the U.S.. She enjoys movies of all genres, volunteering, and meditating.
Ambassador story coming soon!