Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wilfred Uunk

Wilfred Uunk studied Sociology at the University of Utrecht and took his Ph.D. in 1996 at the Department of Sociology at Radboud University Nijmegen on the theme of homogamy (similarity in partner traits). From 1996-2002, he held post-doc positions at the Max Planck Institute for Education Research in Berlin (1996-1998) and the University of Utrecht (1998-2002). Subsequently, until 2017, he worked at the Department of Sociology at Tilburg University, first as a post-doc fellow, then as Assistant Professor in Sociology. From 2017-2020, Uunk was a research associate at the University of Bamberg (Chair of Sociology 1), and from 2020-2021 senior researcher at the University of Applied Sciences in the Hague.

Wilfred Uunk investigates several forms of social inequality, for example, labor force participation by gender and homeownership by ethnicity. His research is often cross-nationally comparative, and he uses quantitative research methods. For instance, in one of his studies, Uunk shows that egalitarian gender attitudes in a society increase women’s labor supply, next to institutional features such as childcare provision and women’s traits and attitudes. Currently, he investigates the gender gap in STEM study choices within and across countries.

As of May 1, 2021, Wilfred Uunk is a Professor in Sociology, specifically Macro-Sociology and Social Inequality, at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Innsbruck.