Douglas C. Ewbank Faculty died on July 22, 2025, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Instructor of Economics, 1973-74
(The following was provided by University of Pennsylvania Almanac in September 2, 2025:)
Douglas C. Ewbank Faculty
Douglas C. Ewbank, an emeritus research professor of sociology and the former associate director of Penn’s Population Studies Center and the Population Aging Research Center, died on July 22. He was 77.
Dr. Ewbank grew up in Illinois. He earned his PhD in economics from Princeton University in 1975 and launched his academic career with positions at Stanford University, the Harvard School of Public Health, the University of Dar es Salaam, and Bowdoin College. He joined Penn’s faculty as a senior research investigator and as a lecturer in sociology in 1982. He became an associate director in his department in 1986, an adjunct associate professor in 1989, and a research associate professor in 2001. He left Penn in 2007.
Dr. Ewbank’s early research focused on the demography of tropical Africa and genetic differences in mortality by genotype. He collaborated with Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center on various aspects of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, co-authoring several clinical studies on these topics. His research also addressed longevity and chronic disease in older adults, including studies on excess mortality associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and his most recent work documented the social-demographic history of Powelton Village in West Philadelphia. In addition to his research, he trained several generations of GGD students. He also interned at the Population Council and the American Friends Service Committee and served on the board of directors of the Population Association of America.
“Douglas was a thoughtful and willful man who understood the responsibilities that came with his academic status,” said his family in an obituary. “His unique approach to problem solving was admired by many, not the least of which were his students who carry on his legacy here and abroad.”
He is survived by his husband, Scott Ryder; his sisters, Diane and Barbara; and their respective families.