Thomas J. Hoban Papers 1950-2006

English

Thomas J. Hoban IV was a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University from July 1987 until December of 2012. Hoban's appointment at NC State University involved 50 percent research and 50 percent teaching. His teaching focused on social movements, social change, and environmental sociology. As an applied sociologist, much of his work has involved working with other university departments, government agencies, and others to improve the assessment of new technologies. His research has examined how new technologies and public policies affect consumers, industry, natural resources, and society. His work has focused on how people understand and respond to controversial changes and environmental issues. He has served as project director for a number of major externally funded surveys, including subjects pertaining to: public attitudes about biotechnology; farmers' adoption of management practices; industry adoption of innovation; and public attitudes about the environment.

Hoban joined the faculty of North Carolina State University in 1987 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1991 and to full professor in 1997. Before coming to NC State University, Hoban worked as research assistant/associate, 1982-1986, at Iowa State University; as environmental specialist, 1980-1982, for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Water Quality Section; as project assistant, 1979-1980, for the Wisconsin Board of Soil and Water Conservation; and as a laboratory technician, 1978-1979, for the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. He currently serves as the executive director of the Cape Fear River Assembly and has worked as an adjunct professor of Environmental Studies at Elon University since 2014.

Hoban received a Ph.D. in rural sociology from Iowa State University in 1986. He has two masters degrees from the University of Wisconsin, one in agricultural journalism, 1982, and one in water resource management, 1981. He has a B.S. in biology, 1978, from the University of Illinois.

This collection contains major surveys gauging the acceptance of biotechnology; industry adaptation of innovation; farmer adoption of new practices; and public attitudes about environmental quality. Content includes professional correspondence, scientific and sociological research papers, corporate promotional materials, news articles, and opinion polling data related to the biotechnology industry, agri-business, ecological studies, and mass communications. Also included are a wide range of publications Hoban used as reference materials for his research and surveys. The Soil and Water Conservation Research and Reference Files series contains research literature pertaining to soil and water conservation; books; news clippings (including annotated photocopies); federal and state-level governmental publications; reference materials related to principles, best practices, and effective management; and various surveys, research papers, and publications, primarily related to work in various counties of the state of North Carolina. Topics include hazardous and solid waste management; extension projects and materials; county surveys and water quality studies; soil conservation initiatives; public perceptions of environmental issues; agricultural waste management; emerging agricultural technologies; the Rural Clean Water Program; and the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary Study. The Biotechnology and Agriculture series contains research literature pertaining to the implementation of, public perception of, and reception of agricultural biotechnology and genetic modification efforts with plants and animals; books; news clippings (including annotated photocopies); federal and state-level governmental publications; reference materials related to principles, best practices, and effective management; and research papers and publications. Topics include genetically modified organisms; genetic engineering; agricultural practices; pesticides and integrated pest management; food safety; public perception and ethical concerns surrounding genetically modified organisms; consumer food purchasing trends; and human genomics. The General Research and Reference Files series contains research literature pertaining to science; technology; sociology; risk assessment; public perception; public opinion; public relations; ethics; technology assessment; survey question construction and implementation; data management; personnel management; communication; scientific methodology; sexuality; creativity; rural and agricultural development; and economic development. The Professional and Academic Files series contains materials from Hoban’s time as a student at Iowa State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, including class notes, assignments, and projects. Other topics include materials related to individual professional development; conference attendance; workshops and training opportunities; consulting work; proposals and grant applications; and agricultural cooperative extension participation.

The collection is organized into 4 Series: Soil and Water Conservation Research and Reference Files; Biotechnology and Agriculture; General Research and Reference Files; Professional and Academic Files.

This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.

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The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

[Identification of item], Thomas J. Hoban Papers, MC 00088, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Gift of Thomas J. Hoban, 2006 December (Accession no. 2006-0211).

Processed by: Sarah Almond, Karsin Williard, Taylor de Klerk, Jessica Serrao, 2018 May; machine-readable finding aid updated by: Sarah Almond, 2018 May. Preliminary processing and machine-readable finding aid created by: Michael Watts, 2007 February.