Teaching is central to my scholarly life and a deep passion of mine. I was the 2025 faculty recipient of the UC Davis Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research. This award was given in honor of my “exceptional commitment to undergraduate mentorship and the deep, lasting impact of [my] work with students.” Multiple of my students have won UC Davis Sociology Lofland Research Awards for excellence in undergraduate research. As a graduate student I received the inaugural Dr. Devon T. Wade Mentorship and Service Award awarded by Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
A selection of recent courses taught
- Criminology
- Sociology of Gender
- Qualitative Methods
- Queer Social Movements
- Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Punishment
- Sexualities & Space
Letters of recommendation
- If you would like me to write you a letter of recommendation, you should send me an email a minimum of one month ahead of the deadline with your request. I will be best prepared to write you a letter of recommendation if you have actively participated in my classes, earned a high grade, attended office hours, and otherwise provided me with a chance to get to know you and your strengths. If you have not done this, I may be unable to write you a letter.
Undergraduate Research Assistant Positions
I periodically hire UC Davis undergraduate students as research assistants. My RA positions provide students with an hourly wage and course credit. RA-ships are excellent professional development opportunities, especially for students interested in pursuing academic careers. Students who have taken my classes are the most competitive applicants for RA positions, because they have had the opportunity to show me (not only tell me about) their skills and work ethic.
Prospective PhD Students
I am accepting PhD students whose research falls within my areas of expertise. We do not need to have a conversation in advance of your application to UC Davis. If you are interested in working with me, you should simply express that interest in your application. If you do reach out to me via email, I would like to hear from you in your own voice and learn how you think sociologically. Who are you, what are your research interests, and why are you interested in working with me? To indicate that your email was written by you and not by AI, if you email me as a prospective student please choose one paper of mine and explain an unanswered question the paper leaves you with, a constraint of the methodology, or how future research could build on my results.
