Sociology Professor Receives First Citizens Scholars Medal

April 7, 2003

CHARLOTTE, NC - Murray Webster, a professor of sociology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte whose research has earned him prominence in the field of group processes, is the recipient of the 2003 First Citizens Bank Scholars Medal.

Webster will receive the honor during a 7 p.m. ceremony held on Wednesday, April 9, in Charlotte at the First Citizens Bank Plaza. The award, established in 1987, is UNC Charlotte's highest honor for faculty scholarship and intellectual inquiry. William Braddy, area executive for First Citizens Bank in Charlotte, will present the award.

“The First Citizens Scholars Medal represents the very highest in academic excellence and signifies the bank's ongoing support of higher education,” Braddy said.

“'Do something amazing’ is what we strive to do each day as a bank, helping customers achieve their financial goals. This honor recognizes Professor Webster’s amazing contributions to the university and leadership in the field of sociology.”

UNC Charlotte Chancellor Jim Woodward agrees.

“Dr. Webster’s selection for this honor is an appropriate one. He has earned respect and admiration from colleagues and students and is recognized nationally for his academic achievements,” said Woodward. “We are pleased that First Citizens Bank continues to honor and support faculty excellence and intellectual inquiry at UNC Charlotte.”

A UNC Charlotte faculty member since 1993, Webster has made substantial achievements and contributions to the study of social processes in small human groups. He has received nearly a half million dollars in research funding from the National Science Foundation since 1995. Webster’s work in hierarchies of small groups, equity and social justice processes, and experimental methods in sociology has had critical effects on research concerning group decision making. Those groups might include a jury or a group formed to work on a project, whether in the workplace or a classroom. Webster’s research confirms that within a short time after the group assembles and begins its work, a hierarchy forms or a group member emerges as a leader and prestige develops.

Webster’s research has contributed to key understanding of “status characteristics” that people bring into the group such as their age, gender, ethnicity and academic degrees and how these characteristics play a role, singly and in combination. Webster’s extensive research in the area has led sociologists to focus on explaining the origin of status characteristics and how they affect power and prestige in hierarchies.

By securing significant funding for his research, Webster was instrumental in establishing the group processes laboratory in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. The third NSF grant he obtained at UNC Charlotte funded the equipment for the laboratory, and Webster elicited the additional support of university administrators for construction of the facility. For the past two years, the state-of-the art laboratory has been fully operative and is used by four sociology faculty members conducting three different research projects.

Born in the Philippines, Webster earned his doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in sociology from Stanford University. He has worked as a program director for sociology for the National Science Foundation, a senior scientist for the Sociometrics Corporation and as a professor at Johns Hopkins University and the University of South Carolina before coming to UNC Charlotte.

A nine-member selection committee selected Webster from seven nominees. In addition to the Scholars Medal, Webster also will receive a $3,000 stipend from First Citizens Bank.

About First Citizens Bank

First Citizens has served the people and businesses of Mecklenburg County for more than 40 years. First Citizens operates 341 branches in 200 cities and town in North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The bank's mission is to provide superior financial services to individual customers and small to mid-sized businesses.

About UNC Charlotte

Founded in 1946, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte enrolls nearly 19,000 students in undergraduate and graduate programs. It is the fourth largest constituent institution within the University of North Carolina system. UNC Charlotte comprises seven colleges in architecture, arts and sciences, business, education, engineering, health and human services, and information technology.