My name is Qi (Amelia) Li. I am currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. From 2022 to 2023, I was a Postdoctoral Associate at the Center for Social Sciences and Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Cornell University. I received my BA in Sociology and Economics from Kenyon College. I received my MA and PhD in Sociology from The Ohio State University.
My PhD dissertation looks closely at the phenomenon of the “sandwich generation”, which refers to an increasing population of midlife adults who are simultaneously raising minor children and caring for aging parents. I use longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 to examine how the demands of sandwich caregiving shape physical well-being and marital stability among these midlife adults. Moreover, I explore the mental health outcomes of children raised by sandwiched parents.
In addition to my dissertation, my research uses quantitative methods to engage in two lines of inquiry within family and health. The first investigates the intergenerational transmission of health inequality within the family. For instance, one of my published articles explores the association between children’s experiences of discrimination and their mother’s physical well-being. The second investigates the determinants and implications of family policy, both domestically and internationally. For example, I have several published articles that focus on public attitudes toward paid parental leave offerings.