Iowa State University
Department of Sociology
A 4-H camp counselor, high school teacher, florist and now professor of sociology at Iowa State University, Lois Wright-Morton credits her family for encouraging her to attend college.
Growing up in northeast Ohio on a 600-acre sheep, hay and row crop farm, Lois developed a curiosity about people, what they are thinking, why they do the things they do, and how they value and interact with the natural environment. 
“I have always had eclectic interests in many different kinds of science and human experiences and like to find ways to connect them,” Lois adds.
Her curiosity and interests led her to a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, in Home Economics; a Master’s from Syracuse University in Consumer Economics, and a PhD from Cornell University, NY, in Developmental Sociology.
“There are many different disciplines in the social sciences and the biophysical sciences that can provide a great foundation to explore many career pathways.”
Lois clearly enjoys her work. “It is fun, rewarding, stimulating, and challenging. The opportunities to read and study the research of others, think about and talk with others about new ideas, concepts and theories, work with some of the best scientists in the nation and world from many disciplines and connect with farmers to learn from them and find new applications to solve complex soil and water problems while assuring productivity, make it easy to get up every day and come to work.”
When not working at Iowa State University, Lois has several hobbies to keep her busy. “I have a couple bee hives and like to share my honey with friends and colleagues. Also I am a compulsive digger in the soil, growing vegetable and flower gardens, tending an inside porch green house to get me through cold Iowa winters, and planting trees on my small acreage.”
Her other favorite pasttime is walking nearly every day to the Colo Bog, which is two miles away from her house.