Bill MacDonald CV

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Dr. Bill MacDonald began his academic career at The Ohio State University in 1992 as an assistant professor of sociology at the Newark campus. He served as dean and director of the campus from 2004 to 2024 and as executive dean of the regional campuses from 2010 to 2019. During his time as dean and director, Ohio State Newark raised over $50 million for scholarships, new buildings and renovations, and completed capital projects totaling over $80 million. Dr. MacDonald is proud of the community relationships he helped the campus develop and is especially proud of the campus’s partnership with Central Ohio Technical College (COTC). Dr. MacDonald returned to his faculty role on August 1, 2024.

Though he took a hiatus from teaching and research while serving as dean and director, Dr. MacDonald has published research in several journals including the Journal of American Culture, the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, the Journal of Marriage and Family, the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, and Social Science and Medicine. He has also received research funding from the National Science Foundation. His work in the sociology of religion was recognized by the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, which selected him as one of its Young Scholars in American Religion in 1997. Dr. MacDonald has received the following awards:

• Ohio Sea Grant & Stone Lab Partnership Award (2025)
• Legends of Loyalty Award from COTC (2024), 
• “I Believe in Ohio State” Campus Campaign Leadership Award (2010)
• Accomplished Graduate Award from Bowling Green State University (2006)
• Outstanding Alumnus Award from BGSU—Firelands (2003) 
• Robert A. Barnes Award for Exemplary Teaching (2000)
• Ohio State Newark Scholarly Accomplishment Award (1997)
• Science and Religion Course Prize from the John Templeton Foundation (1999)

Dr. MacDonald’s primary interest is in American religion. He is interested in the following research activities:

• Integrating theories from cognitive sociology and cognitive psychology to explain religious experiences that involve pareidolia
• Investigating the persistence of supernatural beliefs in America and the ways in which secular institutions that profit from those beliefs help sustain them
• Applying insights from the sociology of religion to strengthen enculturation theory 

Dr. MacDonald teaches the following courses:

• Introductory Sociology
• Social Foundations of Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Social Class
• Sociology of Death and Dying