Steve H. Murdock

State demographer to join UTSA faculty Jan. 16

(Dec. 12, 2003)--The University of Texas at San Antonio today (Dec. 12) announced the appointment of State Demographer Steve H. Murdock as the Lutcher Brown Distinguished Chair in Management Science and Statistics in the university's College of Business. As part of his appointment, UTSA will create the Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research, which Murdock will direct.

"I am extremely pleased to be joining the faculty at UTSA, as this is an exciting opportunity for our programs and research," said Murdock, formerly the Regents Professor and chairman of the Department of Rural Sociology at Texas A&M University. "Through the establishment of the institute and our ongoing State Data Center we enhance our ability to fulfill our statewide mission while being part of a dynamic university and a great city -- both of which represent the future of Texas."

"A distinguished scholar in demography and sociology, Murdock brings to UTSA the caliber of research found only at the top universities in the United States," said UTSA President Ricardo Romo. "UTSA and San Antonio are very fortunate to be the new home for the state's demographer and an institute that is critical to the future of our great state."

"The decision by Dr. Steve Murdock to join the faculty at UT San Antonio is most welcome news," said UT System Chancellor Mark Yudof. "He is one of the nation's most distinguished demographers and sociologists, and his research is of fundamental importance for both the public and private sectors as they plan for the future of Texas. We are delighted that Dr. Murdock is going to become a member of the UT family."

"Steve Murdock's research and the work of the State Data Center comprise important components of much of the strategic planning that support major statewide initiatives," said Cyndi Taylor Krier, a member of the UT System Board of Regents. "His association with UTSA and San Antonio is an important milestone in UTSA's move toward becoming a premier research university."

As state demographer, Murdock heads the State Data Center, a network of 45 university, state, regional and municipal agencies that provide access to demographic information on the socioeconomic characteristics of Texas. The center also provides state population estimates used by state agencies and other organizations for planning purposes. He begins his duties at UTSA Jan. 16.

Murdock earned his Ph.D in demography and sociology from the University of Kentucky and is the author of 11 books and more than 150 articles and technical reports on the implications of current and future demographic and socioeconomic change. One of his books is "The New Texas Challenge: Population Change and the Future of Texas," which examines the implications of demographic change in Texas.

A nationally respected demographer, Murdock was named one of the 50 most influential Texans by Texas Business in 1997. He is a member of numerous national organizations and honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa.

--David Gabler