Professor of sociology David Chunyu enjoys teaching a wide range of students at UW-Stevens Point, many of them exploring sociology introductory courses as non-majors. He leads courses in research methods, immigration, the sociology of aging, and social statistics and says he benefits from an interdisciplinary interest. Connecting with students from across the university in the classroom and in research has contributed greatly to his work.
He found that some of the most valuable kinds of research aligned organically with teaching topics. Earlier in his UWSP tenure, joining the Department of Sociology and Social Work in 2012, Chunyu said his student work was more narrowly focused. Because Chunyu has advised diverse students of all backgrounds, from history, education and natural resources to sociology, he said it broadens the ideas and vision about the research projects they pursue.
Chunyu has curated a body of research work in the field of sociology, work that has been cited dozens of times by top journals. He is well prepared to bring his extensive research experience into the classroom for the betterment of his students. And, while that would be impactful enough, he has helped individual students make connections in their own inquiries outside of the classroom.
Since 2021, Chunyu has mentored more than 15 undergraduate researchers, including several who presented work this spring on immigration at the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (WIPCS) Annual Conference at Edgewood University in Madison, Wis. Former student Rebecca Smith, ‘26 sociology, began an in-depth investigation of the Business Highway 51 reconstruction project through Stevens Point, initially to write a paper for Chunyu’s Urban Sociology course. With his encouragement, Smith decided to continue the research into factors that together stirred controversy over the three-mile stretch of road.
“Dr. Chunyu helped me see the value of looking at different peoples’ perspectives and how they can impact society around us. Things like making personal connections, watching common council videos, and observing how it all correlates. I think his extensive experience with research assisted me with the project by showing me how important it is to dig deeper and connect with individuals to help show what is going on behind the scenes,” said Smith.
“Controversy in the Streets” highlighted tensions between residential quality of life, business interests and differing perceptions about how the public was included in the planning process. The project became a poster Smith presented at the annual Universities of Wisconsin Research in the Rotunda event in March.
“She had a good handle and was resourceful in getting connected with former and current council members. It might lead to publication later down the road,” Chunyu said. “She motivates me!”
The most successful researchers, Chunyu said, need to have the drive and interest to stay committed to the work. It helps if they have skills in quantitative analysis, he said, but they do best when students take ownership over their project work. In recent years, Chunyu has more deliberately integrated his efforts in teaching with efforts in socially oriented scholarship.
“Lucky for me, I have been able to see the opportunity to bridge these things together,” he said.
So much of the population finds themselves part of a demographic shift, aging themselves while providing some level of care for older relatives and younger children. Chunyu wants to study how the population changes impact their respective communities.
His active scholarship, published and cited globally, was acknowledged this spring when he was honored with the 2025-2026 University Scholar Award. Dr. Chunyu is the previous winner of the University Excellence in Teaching Award in 2023.
“I have been given a lot of support from my colleagues. The award is the reflection of the multi-faceted things I’ve been involved with over so many years, serving at the University,” he said.
Chunyu is working on multiple manuscripts. His research report on international migration was published for the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China. Dr. Chunyu, who hails from China, is collaborating on a demographic analysis with Jilin University; it’s one of the largest public universities in China and Jilin Province is structurally similar, in terms of natural resources and climate, to Wisconsin.
Both regions are impacted by strikingly similar population changes. Chunyu presented “The Population Development Process and Prospects of the Rust Belt: A Comparative Study of Wisconsin (USA) and Jilin Province (China)” at a conference last year co-sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Institute of Sociology and Jilin University.
Studies that come out of the data will be meaningful because so much is shared by the populations, despite their vast geographic differences.
“I am motivated by the immediate personal relevance to my own life as an immigrant and person who’s getting older, part of the sandwich generation,” he said.
His family includes his 8-year-old daughter, who he said keeps him and his wife, Shan Gao, busy between music and Taekwondo lessons. Chunyu is driven to inspire future research that both informs and improves society. He will continue supporting and mentoring undergraduate researchers this fall. The socially oriented research studies like the ones happening through the Department of Sociology and Social Work serve to further understanding—they have the potential to influence communities and shape policy on a broader scale.