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 simultaneously raise minor children while caring for their elderly parents. I use longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to examine how “sandwiched” caregiving demands influence physical health and risks of marital dissolution among midlife women. I also investigate 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 research in family and health. The first line of research looks at 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 health at midlife. The other line of research investigates the determinants and implications of family policy, in both domestic and international contexts. For example, I have several published articles that focus on public attitudes toward paid parental leave offerings.