Megan Smith

Dr. Megan Smith is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Sociology Department  and is affiliated with the Gerontology Program UNC Charlotte. She served asTheme Guide for the new General Education program, is an Honors College Faculty appointee, serves on a committee for Charlotte Phi Beta Kappa chapter, and served on the strategic planning committee for the College of Humanities, Earth, and and Social sciences. She was inducted as a Phi Kappa Phi Distinguished Faculty Member and awarded one of twenty five Trailblazer Awards across the eight colleges for her notable contribution to teaching and learning at UNC Charlotte. Prior to current role at UNC Charlotte, she earned her Ph.D. at Emory University, a Master of Arts degree in Sociology at Charlotte in 2011, and a Bachelors of Arts degree at North Carolina State University in Sociology with an Anthropology concentration in 2001.

Her research and teaching interests focus on mental health, loneliness, deviant behavior, and criminology. She teaches online and face-to-face courses, ranging from entry level courses to  graduate courses and courses in the Honors College. She has earned three Quality Matters certifications, nationally recognized,  for courses in the Sociology department and the School of Professional Studies. She serves on committees for Honors College students’ honors projects as well as mentoring for conferences. She works with students through the Office of Undergraduate Research on current research projects, including aging and the criminal justice system and the usage of AI in formal caregiving of persons with dementia. Dr. Smith also serves on the CORE of Excellence committee in CHESS representing the needs, concerns, and supports for student success. Her research interests extend beyond the classroom in the forms of community engagement including public speaking, leading workshops, conference presentations, invited talks, spearheading innovative workshops, and writing for public consumption, specifically on the topic of loneliness. 

Her co-authored book is Ties that Enable: Community Solidarity for People Living with Serious Mental Health Problems (Rutgers, 2021) identifies the value of connection among community dwelling adults living with severe and persistent mental illness and how that connection takes shape. She recently co-authored a textbook titled, Sociological Insights on Mental Health and Distress (Wiley, 2025) on a range of mental health topics.