The already long list of important roles played by BCSSW Associate Dean of Research David Takeuchi continues to grow: On Tuesday he was elected Secretary of the largest professional association of sociologists worldwide, the American Sociological Association (ASA).

Throughout his career, Takeuchi has served in important capacities across the fields of social sciences. He is, or has been, a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Health Statistics, the Integration of Immigrants into American Society Committee for the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Program, to name just a few.

Takeuchi will serve the ASA as Secretary-Elect in 2015-2016, and as Secretary from 2016-2019. His responsibilities will include: chairing the Committee on the Executive Office and Budget, and he will be a voting member of both the Publications and Programming Committees.

During its history, the ASA has elected giants in sociology to serve in the role of Secretary, including: Ernest Burgess, who wrote Introduction to the Science of Sociology, long a respected Bible for the field; Herbert Blumer, the father of symbolic interactionism; well-known population demographer Irene Taeuber; Action Theory creator Talcott Parsons; and prominent homelessness theorist Peter Rossi.

The new post is only the latest recognition received by Takeuchi from the ASA: Earlier this year, the organization named him its Leonard I. Pearlin award winner for his distinguished contributions to the sociological study of mental health.