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Spring 2022 Sociology Newsletter
Note from the Chair
Hello from FSU Sociology! I hope that you have had a wonderful spring and are looking forward to summer.
 
We've now successfully made it through another academic year! Although not yet over, safety concerns and restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have improved dramatically for us over the course of the year. For the most part, our schedules went back to "normal" this past Fall, with face-to-face classes and meetings resuming on campus. It truly was wonderful to be back working side-by-side with my colleagues and students once again!

Not only are we back on campus, but faculty and students are kicking back into high-gear in terms of their research and other scholarly endeavors. This Spring, members of the department won an amazing number of awards and honors, received excellent course evaluations, published research in top-tier journals and academic presses, won numerous competitive grants and contracts, and took on leadership roles within the university and the larger academic discipline. We also celebrated the graduation of over 50 undergraduate students, six Master's students, and five PhD students. In addition, we are thrilled to report that our alumni are winning awards and doing many amazing things -- and we love hearing about them!

The department has continued to receive wonderful practical and financial support from our alumni and friends. We deeply appreciate the willingness of our alumni to give presentations to the department and to give advice and support to our current graduate students. Four alumni joined us for our new Young Alumni Lecture Series, and almost one dozen spoke to graduate students in workshops, panel discussions, and our first-year proseminar class. If you are interested in participating in this way, please reach out to me! Our third annual fundraising campaign also was our most successful yet. Thank you to everyone who contributed to that campaign or at other times throughout the year. Each gift is having a direct, immediate impact on FSU Sociology students, helping us to support them in ways we otherwise could not (e.g. recruitment efforts, awards, extra technology and software resources, supplemental training and workshops, etc.). We are truly grateful for your support, and we encourage you to keep the Department in mind as you consider ways to give back (Donate to FSU Sociology).

Please read further into this newsletter to learn about the achievements, awards, and recognitions recently garnered by our Sociology community. In addition, I encourage you to keep up with the Department on Facebook (FSU Sociology), where we provide updates on the goings-on of the department, as well as links to many of the newspaper articles, magazines, and online media sites that quote or discuss the work of FSU Sociology members. Finally, make sure to check out the College of Social Science and Public Policy's online blog, "Wicked Problems, Wicked Solutions," which features compelling new scholarship (often by sociologists!) that is useful and relevant to the work of academics, policy makers, and community leaders, as well as to the lives of those in the general public.

In closing, I invite you to share updates about your own accomplishments and life events in our next newsletter by contacting me at ktillman@fsu.edu or sending us your information through this survey form.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer!

Kathi Tillman
Professor and Chair of Sociology
In this issue…
  • Spring 2022 PhD Graduate
  • Students on the Market
  • Sociology Open House
  • SWS Update
  • AKD Update
  • Alumni Spotlight
  • Faculty Spotlight
  • Retirements
  • Newsworthy News
  • Thank You to Our Donors
  • Celebrations!

Spring 2022 PhD Graduate

Dissertation: Spatial Disparity and Educational Sorting of U.S. Internal Migration

Chair: Dr. Woody Carlson

Dr. Marty Masek’s research has spanned a broad range of areas, including U.S. internal migration, substance use disorder and overdose mortality, COVID mortality among Medicaid members, racial disparities in stillbirth rates, hospital capacity amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and housing program impact on housing stability and health outcomes. Her dissertation examines the circular relationship between selective migration and educational composition of U.S. communities. Results reveal a self-reinforcing pattern of selective migration that increases the advantage of highly educated communities at the expense of others. Moreover, there are patterns of selective migration among both college graduates and non-college graduates that run in opposite directions and reinforce spatial disparity between communities.

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Dr. Masek is currently a Data Scientist at Healthfirst, a health insurer of 1.7 million New Yorkers. In her role there, she builds statistical models to estimate disease risk among health plan members and identify interventions that improve health outcomes.
Graduate Students On the Market
Roxie Brookshire

Roxie is a doctoral candidate whose research focuses on the areas of work and employment. In previous studies, she has examined the issue of pregnancy discrimination in low wage employment and the experiences of women in the military. Her research in this latter area has been published in Gender, Work, and Organization. Roxie's newest project focuses on older workers and their experiences with technology design and training.

In addition to research, Roxie greatly enjoys engaging with students in the classroom. Roxie's primary teaching interests are in qualitative methods, theory, and gender.
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Tyler is a doctoral candidate researching how early-life circumstances shape health and well-being in future life stages, through nonmaterial resources like social relationships and psychological resilience. His dissertation employs a life course perspective to understand how the associations between psychological resilience and physical health vary across racial and ethnic groups in early adulthood, and whether disproportionate disadvantage in early life explains observed variations in these resilience-health linkages.
 
Tyler is also experienced in conducting research in applied settings. Before pursuing his Ph.D., he managed the Campus Recreation Employability Study, a longitudinal study of student-employees across 30 colleges and universities. He is currently a data analyst for Knowli Data Science and analyzes data within the Texas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
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Cherish Michael 

Cherish is a doctoral candidate whose dissertation examines sociological explanations for gender differences in chronic pain. Her areas of expertise include medical sociology, gender, aging and health (especially ageism), and sociology of the body & embodiment.

Cherish's recent publications include an examination of gender patterns in subjective aging and an analysis of Twitter reactions to generational sacrifice as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research experience also includes working on a project funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. This mixed-methods project collected data from over 3,500 participants aged 50 or older, who were asked important questions about driving safety and retirement and hurricane preparedness.
 
Cherish is a dedicated instructor with experience teaching sociology of the body, sociology of sex and gender, social problems, sociology of marriage and the family, social deviance, drug and alcohol problems, and political sociology. She also has published course materials in the American Sociological Association’s Teaching Resources and Innovation Library for Sociology (TRAILS).
 
Cherish also was a recipient of the 2021 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) scholarship and was a top 10 finalist for an Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (OTTA) through FSU’s Program for Instructional Excellence (PIE).
Jessica Noblitt

Jessica is a doctoral candidate who studies sexual minority status, age, and gender as social factors that influence physical and mental health. Her dissertation uses data from the National Health Interview Survey to examine the effects of sexual identity on health-related behaviors, including sleep, exercise, health care utilization, and substance use. Other recent projects include examinations of how same-sex partner loss affects mental health and how hetero-normative definitions of sex reduce LGB+ women’s use of preventive healthcare.

Jessica's research experience also includes working on a project funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. This project involved designing and conducting an online survey of middle-aged and older adults’ transportation behaviors and attitudes, analyzing the results, and drafting reports for the funding agency. 

Jessica's teaching experience includes designing and teaching courses on Social Statistics and Social Problems.
Sociology Open House
In March, the department hosted an open house event for prospective students who had been accepted into our graduate program. Visitors traveled to Tallahassee to meet faculty, students, and staff. We organized a variety of events for them. The visit kicked off with dinner at The Bark, hosted by the department. The following day the prospective students attended a meeting with the SGSU (Sociology Graduate Student Union), went on a campus walking tour with faculty, and had meetings with areas of concentration. The day ended with dinner at Gaines Street Pies. In the evening, department faculty who are part of SWS (Sociologists for Women in Society) hosted an event at Broad Auditorium, which included watching and discussing the film “Reversing Roe.” 
 
The next day, some of the students joined the Inequalities and Social Justice working group and some joined the ARCHI working group (Aging Research on Contexts, health, and Inequalities) to listen to research presentations by current students and to get an overview of how the groups work. In addition to all these events, the prospective students attended one-on-one meetings with faculty and a Q&A with current graduate students.   
  
We are excited to announce that six of the recruits decided to accept our offers! Included among those six are the winners of a University Legacy Fellowship and a University Wilson Auzenne Fellowship. These are amazing awards! We couldn’t be more thrilled that all six are joining our FSU Sociology community in the Fall! 
SWS Update
The Department’s local chapter of Sociologists for Women in Society hosted two in-person events during the Spring semester.

They met at the Museum of Florida History in January to see “Beyond the Vote: Florida Women’s Activism,” an exhibit showcasing the history of women’s activism in Florida from the 1800s to today.

In March, they met in Broad Auditorium for a screening and discussion of the documentary, "Reversing Roe." This latter event was timed so that prospective graduate students could join in as part of their Open House experience.
AKD Update
Alumni Spotlight
Dr. Donald (Donnie) Garner earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Florida State University in 2005. During his time in our program, he worked with Dr. John Reynolds to conduct an extensive literature review on the factors related to Black children's academic learning loss during the summer months. This unique opportunity deepened his interest in issues related to the sociology of education. In particular, he developed a passion for studying pernicious school-related barriers that block Black students, particularly Black males, from experiencing educational success. While thinking back on the importance of his time at FSU, Dr. Garner states: “My sociology background gave me the language to talk about many of the social inequities I witnessed during my K-12 years, such as the under-representation of Black and Brown kids in gifted programs and their overrepresentation in special education. Some of the early works that most impacted my thinking include Bordieu's scholarship on social capital and the 'hidden curriculum', MacLeod's 'Aint No Makin’ It,' with its focus on how the environment affects aspiration formation, and Ferguson’s 'Bad Boys,' which examines how Black boys are 'adultified' by their adult counterparts and subsequently are more likely to be removed from their school community.” 

After earning his Sociology degree, Dr. Garner remained in Tallahassee and worked as an Educational Consultant with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) in the Bureau of Family and Community Outreach. In this role, he used his sociological background frequently as he provided program and policy support to the state's dropout prevention program and produced research briefs on best practices for advancing achievement among young men of color in K-12 schools. These briefs were used by the FLDOE representative serving on the legislatively appointed Florida Commission on the Social Status of African American Men and Boys. While working at FLDOE, Garner also pursued and obtained a double master’s degree in Public Administration and Social Work at FSU. 

In 2010, Dr. Garner relocated to New York City to pursue a Ph.D. in Social Work at the Fordham Graduate School of Social Service. During his doctoral program, he served as a Research Assistant for the Beck Institute for Religion and Poverty, providing capacity-building and program evaluation services to organizations whose mission was to improve the plight of marginalized populations. He also taught master's-level courses on Human Rights and Social Justice and Social Welfare Policy. Nearly a year after beginning his doctoral program, he also began working with the New York City Department of Education as a Teacher Recruitment & Staffing Manager. In this role, Dr. Garner expanded his knowledge of the education sector by recruiting and staffing teachers throughout the NYC public school system and within NYC maximum-security facilities. In 2016, Dr. Garner left the NYCDOE to launch Clark & Garner, a comprehensive educational consultant firm where he develops educational curriculum, builds capacity in leadership and staffing development, and conducts research and evaluation activities. In August 2020, Dr. Garner successfully defended his dissertation, "Chasing Connections: A Phenomenological Study of How Returning Citizens Develop Close Relationships in a Restorative Community Program," and earned his Ph.D.

Today, Dr. Garner continues his consulting work and serves as an Adjunct Lecturer with the Fordham Graduate School of Education, bringing together his sociology, criminal justice, and education interests as he seeks to ameliorate the educational trauma experienced by Black and Latino boys in K-12 schools. In addition, he is a national keynote speaker, consultant, philanthropist, and author of a forthcoming book, A Black Squirrel in Harlem: An Ode to New York City, which is set to release in Fall 2022.

In closing, Dr. Garner encourages current sociology students to consider career opportunities in the educational sector. His experience has taught him that people with a sociological background are particularly well-equipped to illuminate systemic barriers in education and to help educational institutions break down those barriers and promote equity and justice for marginalized students.
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Koji Ueno, Ph.D. is a Professor of Sociology and has been a member of the Department of Sociology at FSU since 2004. Dr. Ueno grew up in Japan and earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Vanderbilt University, with a concentration in the sociology of mental health and social psychology. He currently teaches graduate courses focused on sexuality over the lifecourse and advanced statistical methodologies, as well as undergraduate courses on statistics.

Dr. Ueno is a sexualities scholar who focuses on LGBTQ populations and their experiences across the life course, including their work experiences, career planning, and mental health. Dr. Ueno’s most recent research uses longitudinal in-depth interviews with LGBTQ young adults to examine what opportunities and constraints these young adults face in the early stages of career planning, how they transition from school to work, and how they navigate workplaces. This research has recruited participants from Tallahassee, Florida, and has recently added a Japanese sample for cross-national comparison. Committed to drawing students into hands-on research opportunities, Dr. Ueno has trained more than 11 graduate and 17 undergraduate students to collaborate on this project. The findings from Dr. Ueno’s research appears in highly-respected peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes. To date, his work has been cited over 2,600 times. 

To help support his scholarly work, Dr. Ueno has received numerous grants and awards from FSU and from external funders, such as the National Science Foundation and the Social Science Research Council. Most recently, Dr. Ueno was awarded the SSRC’s prestigious Abe Fellowship, which is designed to encourage international multidisciplinary research on topics of pressing global concern. This award allowed him to dedicate substantial time and resources to his data collection efforts in Japan.

In addition to his superior scholarship and important contributions to students and the Department, Dr. Ueno provides invaluable service and leadership to the broader profession. He currently serves as an Editorial Board member for the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, an Advisory Board Member for the Work and Family Life Study, and a facilitator for an expert meeting on "Understanding the Effects of Intersectionality on Sexual and Gender Minorities" for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 
Retirements
Dr. Elwood (Woody) Carlson
After 20 wonderful years in the Department of Sociology, Dr. Woody Carlson retired at the end of the Spring 2022 semester.

Dr. Carlson, the Charles B. Nam Professor in Sociology of Population, arrived at FSU in 2002. Since that time, he has been an integral part of the Sociology Department and the Center for Demography and Population Health. He has taught thousands of undergraduate students, worked with hundreds of graduate students, and engaged in extraordinarily important service to our programs, including serving a term as the Director of the CDPH. He has been a dedicated colleague, teacher and supervisor, as well as an amazing friend to so many of us. He has always encouraged us to be good to one another and reminded us of how lucky we are to have such a collegial and caring environment in which to work. For all of this, we are grateful.

We will greatly miss Dr. Carlson's day-to-day presence, his cheery greetings of "Good morning, scholars!," and his deep appreciation for the collective nature of our work. We are truly excited for him, though, as he moves on to the next stage of life!
Dr. Irene Padavic
Dr. Irene Padavic is retiring this summer after serving an amazing 35 years at FSU.

Dr. Padavic, the Mildred and Claude Pepper Distinguished Professor of Sociology, came to FSU in 1987 right out of graduate school. Since that time, she built an amazing career. She has been a successful and highly respected scholar and academic leader, an award-winning teacher and mentor, a fearless and effective union organizer and negotiator, an extraordinarily generous colleague, and a role model to many. Throughout all she has done, she has worked to create environments that provide opportunities and resources for others to succeed in their work and the broader lives. Her contributions to the Department, the University and the discipline are profound and lasting, as is evidenced by the many careers she has helped to launch, the important leadership positions that she has held, and the numerous research, teaching, and service awards and honors that she has received over the years.

Dr. Padavic is a one-of-a-kind force of nature. We will deeply miss her energy and passion, her encouraging words and sage advice, her excellent writing and word-smithing skills, and her perpetual willingness to step in with a helping hand. We know, however, that she will move into the next stage of life with the same passion and purpose that she has always had -- and it will be amazing!
Newsworthy News...
Invited Lectures and Talks
Our very own Dr. Woody Carlson gave the annual Charles B. Nam Lecture in the Sociology of Population via Zoom in April. Dr. Carlson's lecture, "Demographic Foundations of Society," was his last as a full-time faculty member in the department. Dr. Carlson is retiring this summer (and hopefully will come back to give more lectures!).
Dr. Shelley Keith (University of Memphis, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice) gave an invited presentation via Zoom in May, during which she spoke about research that she has been conducting with a local organization that serves at-risk youth. Her fascinating talk was entitled, "A Preliminary Analysis of How Restorative Justice and Nonviolent Communication Affect Identities, Emotions, and Conflict Management Among At-Risk Youth in Florida."
Dr. Danya Lagos (Universtiy of California, Berkeley) was invited to give our department's annual Spring Colloquium in April. Dr. Lagos gave an amazing virtual lecture via Zoom, entitled "Has There Been a Transgender Tipping Point? Gender Identification Differences in U.S. Cohorts Born Between 1935 and 2001." There was an excellent turnout of faculty and students from FSU and beyond. After the lecture, Dr. Lagos had the chance to meet and discuss her work with faculty and graduate students. What a wonderful opportunity for us!

Dr. Amanda Nix (FSU Center for Post-secondary Success, College of Education; FSU Ph.D. 2017) presented a wonderful virtual lecture for our Young Alumni Lecture Series this Spring. Dr. Nix spoke to faculty and graduate students about her "Reflections on Eight Years of Developmental Education Reform in Florida."
Angela Riley Santone gave a COSSPP Women’s Graduate Student Network Alumni Spotlight Lecture this Spring, where she discussed her career experiences and advice for professional women. Many graduate and undergraduate students, as well as faculty, were in attendance.

Ms. Santone is the senior executive vice president for human resources at AT&T. She also leads a Women of AT&T circle mentoring group. She currently serves on the national Board of Governors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Board of Directors for the Jed Foundation, focused on suicide prevention on college campuses and in high schools.

Angela graduated with her B.S. in Sociology from Florida State University and her M.S. in counseling from Troy University. She was also honored as one of COSSPP's Distinguished Alumni in 2020.
Faculty Transitions
Dr. Elwood (Woody) Carlson retired in May after 20 years with the department and Dr. Irene Padavic will retire in June after 35 years with the department. Both of them have been granted Professor Emeritus status. We wish them both the very best as they enter into an exciting new phase of the lives!

Dr. Amy Burdette stepped into the role of Director of the COSSP Public Health Program (combined MPH and BSPH programs) in August 2021. She also will be finishing her 3-year term as Editor of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior in August of 2022.

Dr. Dawn Carr stepped into the role of Executive Director of the Claude Pepper Center in early Summer 2022.

Dr. Katrinell Davis stepped into the role of Director of the African American Studies Program in Spring 2022.

Dr. Patricia Homan stepped into the newly-developed role of Associated Director of the Public Health Program in Fall 2021.

Dr. John Taylor will be stepping into the role of Director of the Center for Demography and Population Health in Fall 2022.

Dr. Miles Taylor stepped into the role of Director of the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy in Fall 2021.
Recent Faculty Achievements, Awards, and Honors
(Spring 2022)
Dr. Anne Barrett was awarded the Sociology Department's 2021-2022 J. Michael Armer Faculty Teaching Award.

Dr. Karin Brewster received the 2021 award for Accessibility Champion, from FSU's Office of Accommodation Services.

Dr. Dawn Carr was awarded the highly prestigious Busse International Research Award in 2021, in recognition of her significant contributions to aging research. Only one award in social sciences is given every four years. Dr. Carr also was awarded a competitive Innovative Research on Aging Award from the Mather Institute in recognition of excellent applied research that offers important implications for the aging services industry. In addition, she won four (4!) teaching-related awards: the University Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, the COSSPP Tenure-Track Faculty Award for Teaching, the Sociology Graduate Student Union (SGSU) Faculty Teaching Award, and the SGSU Faculty Mentoring Award. Finally, Dr. Carr was accepted into the inaugural class of the University Faculty Fellows Program through the FSU Office of Research.

Dr. Katrinell Davis published a sole-authored monograph, Tainted Tap: Flint's Journey from Crisis to Recovery, with UNC Press. She also developed a companion podcast that you can check out here!

Dr. Mathew Hauer was nominated for an Honors in the Major Thesis Mentor Award.

Dr. Trish Homan received the prestigious 2022 Matilda White Riley Early Stage Investigator Award from the National Institute of Health's Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research. This award recognizes emerging scientists whose research reflects Dr. Matilda White Riley’s vision of research excellence in health-related behavioral and social sciences. Dr. Homan also received the competitive 2022 Early Career Gender Scholar Award from Sociologists for Women in Society South. This award honors Junior scholars (within 6 years post PhD) who are making a noteworthy contribution to the understanding of the sociology of gender. In addition, Dr. Homan received the COSSPP Faculty Award for Research (Early Career Scholars). Finally, Dr. Homan received the FSU Outstanding Teaching in the Major Award for her undergraduate teaching.

Dr. Irene Padavic received the 2021 Rosabeth Moss Kanter International Award for Research Excellence in Work and Family for the article, “Explaining the Persistence of Gender Inequality: The Work-Family Narrative as a Social Defense Against the 24/7 Work Culture.” Dr. Padavic also received the COSSPP Tenure-Track Faculty Award for Service.

Dr. Teresa Roach received the FSU Outstanding Teaching in the Major Award for her undergraduate teaching and the COSSPP Specialized Faculty Award for Service. Dr. Roach also was nominated for the COSSPP Specialized Teaching Faculty Teaching Award.

Dr. Deana Rohlinger received the highly competitive 2021 William F. Ogburn Mid-Career Achievement Award from the Communication, Information Technologies and Media Section (CITAMS) of the American Sociological Association. This award recognizes a sustained body of research by a scholar who has provided an outstanding contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the areas relevant to the section. 

Dr. Paromita Sanyal was nominated for the FSU Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching in the Major Award.

Dr. Miranda Waggoner received the COSSPP Faculty Award for Research (Mid Career Scholar).
Recent Faculty Grants and Contracts (Spring 2022)
Dr. Anne Barrett received a FSU Claude Pepper Center grant for her project "The COVID-19 Pandemic's Effect on Older Adults' Views of Long-term Care." (Total award $25,000).

Dr. Karin Brewster received a contract from Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare to conduct their Community Health Needs Assessment, 2022 (Total award $41,555).  

Dr. Dawn Carr received a grant from the University of Michigan/Social Security Administration to support her project, "Creating a Public Resource: O*NET Job Characteristics Dataset for use with The Health and Retirement Study and Other Surveys" (Total award $150,000).

Dr. Matt Hauer received a grant from NLCHDD to support his project, "Amplified Health Disparities in a Changing Climate" (Total award $20,000). Dr. Hauer also was awarded a contract by the State of Louisiana to complete the "Climate Migration Projections for the Louisiana Coastal Masterplan" (Total award $49,999).

Dr. John Reynolds and colleagues were awarded FSU's CRC Multidisciplinary Support Program award for their project "Fostering Social Connection to Support Mental Health and Academic Outcomes Among First-Year College Students" (Total award $25,000).

Dr. Deana Rohlinger, graduate student Kyle Rose, and colleagues were funded by the FSU Institute of Politics for their research on "Do Twitter Bans Matter? Political Influencers and the Quality of Information They Share Before and After Account Suspensions" (Total award $20,000).

Dr. Paromita Sanyal was awarded a COSSPP Summer Research Support Grant to support her ongoing research agenda (Total award $7,000).

Dr. Miles Taylor was awarded a contract from the Florida Department of Transportation to continue the work of the Safe Mobility for Life Coalition (Total award $318,000).

Dr. Miles Taylor and Dr. Dawn Carr received a grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to support their project "Education, Psychological Resilience, and Cognitive Decline in Later Life" (Total award $68,300).
Recent Faculty Appointments and Elections
(Spring 2022)

Dr. Anne Barrett was elected to serve as the Membership Committee Co-Chair of the United Faculty of Florida, FSU Chapter.

Dr. Shantel Buggs was appointed to the editorial board of Journal of Marriage and Family and elected to the Publications Committee of the Southern Sociological Society.

Dr. Dawn Carr was appointed to the editorial board of Work, Aging and Retirement.

Dr. Michael McFarland served as a Guest Editor for a special issue of Journal of Health and Social Behavior (Special Issue on Findings, Challenges, and Future Directions in Medical Sociology).

Dr. Sourabh Singh was elected to the Nominations Committee of the Comparative Historical Section of the American Sociology Association.

Dr. Koji Ueno was appointed to the editorial board of Journal of Marriage and Family.

Dr. Miranda Waggoner was appointed as Council Member of the American Sociological Association Section on Body & Embodiment. Dr. Waggoner also served as a Guest Editor for a special issue of Journal of Health and Social Behavior (Special Issue on Findings, Challenges, and Future Directions in Medical Sociology).
Recent Staff Accomplishments and Updates
(Spring 2022)
Michelle Bravo was nominated for the 2022 FSU Outstanding Undergraduate Advising Award.
Recent Graduate Student Achievements, Awards and Honors (Spring 2022)
Rose Archer, a first-year doctoral student, was one of eight FSU students awarded the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship for the 2021-2022 academic year. 

Tim Arthur and Trinity Lakin, third-year doctoral students, were accepted into the prestigious Consortium on Analytics for Data-Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3) Fellows Trainee Program for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Rebekah Carpenter, a second-year doctoral student, was awarded the 2021-2022 SGSU Graduate Student Mentor Award.

Jason D'Amours, a third-year doctoral student, successfully defended his dissertation propsectus. His dissertation will examine knowledge production and inequality in the contemporary response to HIV/AIDS. Jason also was awarded the Sociology Department's 2021-2022 Klar Graduate Student Research Paper Award.

Taylor Darks, a third-year doctoral student, won an award from the FSU Fellows Society Forum for the “Most Impactful Presentation in Humanities.”  Taylor also was awarded the 2022 SGSU Graduate Student Service Award.

Sunshine Jacobs, a fourth-year doctoral student, won a highly competitive FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award. Sunshine also was awarded the Sociology Department's 2021-2022 Gloria T. Lessan Best Graduate Instructor Award.

Hailey McGee, a second-year doctoral student, received a Diversity & Inclusion Committee Research Grant from the Department of Sociology.

Ploy Methakitwarun, a second-year doctoral student, received the Adelaide D. Wilson Graduate Student Success Fund award from FSU's Graduate School.

Hope Mimbs, a first-year doctoral student, was nominated for the FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.

Ladanya Ramirez Surmeier, a fifth-year doctoral student, received the 2022 Rosalina Gonzales Award and a 2022 UROP Materials Grant. She was also nominated for the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. In August, Landanya will be starting her new position as a permanent Specialized Teaching Faculty member within the FSU Public Health Program.

Destiny Reices, a second-year doctoral student, received a Diversity & Inclusion Committee Research Grant from the Department of Sociology.

Kyle Rose, a third-year doctoral student, was awarded one of FSU’s Institute of Politics Civic Engagement and Political Participation Grants.

Rwiti Roy, a third-year doctoral student, was awarded one of FSU’s Institute of Politics Civic Engagement and Political Participation Grants. Rwiti also was awarded a Diversity & Inclusion Committee Research Grant from the Department of Sociology.

Kyle Saunders, a fourth-year doctoral student, was awarded a scholarship from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at FSU.
SGSU Elections -
New Officers for 2022-2023:

President: 
Rebekah Carpenter
Vice President:
Ploy Methakitwarun
Treasurer: 
Taylor Darks 
Secretary: 
Yuki Maynor
Departmental Policy Committee Representatives:
Tim Arthur and Rose Archer 
Departmental Meeting Representatives: 
Tyler Bruefach
Graduate Program Committee Representatives: 
Jason D'Amours and Tara Henry 
Information Resources Committee Representative: 
Megan Skowronski
Awards Committee Representatives: 
Tyler Bruefach
Nominations Committee Representatives: 
Nacia Goldberg
Undergraduate Program Committee Representative: 
Hope Mimbs 
Diversity and Inclusion Committee Representatives: 
Sunshine Jacobs and Hailey McGee
Graduate Student Mentorship Coordinator: 
Rachael Dominguez
SWS Liaison: 
Jessica Noblitt
Recent Undergraduate Student Achievements, Awards and Honors (Spring 2022)
Hartley Brooks was selected to be a College of Social Sciences and Public Policy Social Science Scholar. These outstanding students participate in a leadership seminar during the spring semester of their junior year that prepares them for their internships, research and service projects the following summer semester.

Guissella Cruz was awarded a 2021 IDEA Grant from the FSU Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement. IDEA grants fund research, creative projects, and the development or evaluation of new or existing ideas. Guissella also was inducted into Florida State University’s Torchbearer 100, which recognizes 100 outstanding undergraduate leaders across campus who have made significant contributions to student life at FSU.

Sneha Kapil was inducted into the prestigious FSU Garnet & Gold Scholar Society. She also was awarded the Sociology Department's Annual Best Undergraduate Paper Award.

Susan Morales was awarded a 2022 IDEA Grant from the FSU Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement. IDEA grants fund research, creative projects, and the development or evaluation of new or existing ideas. 

Dani O'Neill was selected to be a College of Social Sciences and Public Policy Social Science Scholar. These outstanding students participate in a leadership seminar during the spring semester of their junior year that prepares them for their internships, research and service projects the following summer semester.

Emily Seguin was inducted into the prestigious FSU Garnet & Gold Scholar Society.
Recent Alumni Awards (Spring 2022)
Dr. Ansley Abraham (FSU BS, MS, and PhD), the longtime founder and director of the Southern Regional Education Board’s Doctoral Scholars Program, received the nation’s highest honor for mentors who help to expand the nation’s talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Dr. Abraham is among the 15 recipients of the 2022 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. A Tallahassee native, Abraham earned his undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees from Florida State University. Link to story.

Dr. Harry Barbee (FSU PhD 2020) was awarded the 2022 Vanderbilt University Postdoctoral Fellow of the Year Award. Selected from among 700 postdocs across Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Harry was recognized for their outstanding work in the LGBT Policy Lab.
Dr. Rosemary Magee (FSU BA, 1973) was awarded the 2021 College of Social Sciences and Public Policy Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dr. Magee spent her entire professional career in higher education, most of it at Emory University in Atlanta. After earning her bachelor’s in sociology and a master’s in religion, both at FSU, she served as an instructor and academic advisor at Valencia Community College. She later received her Ph.D. (1982) from Emory University and for the next 40+ years served in various roles there, including faculty member, dean, director and vice-president. She also chaired the Creativity and Arts Initiative of the university’s strategic plan while leading the fundraising and design for the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. Magee founded a series of interviews at Emory, now named the Rosemary Magee Creativity Conversations, to highlight creativity and imagination in dialogues between community members and distinguished writers and thinkers. In 2012, she became director of the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library at Emory. She stepped down from that role in 2018 to serve a sabbatical year as a senior faculty fellow at the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry before she retired in 2019.
Recent Alumni News (Spring 2022)
Dr. Jessi Bishop-Royse (PhD 2010) recently took a new position as a Statistician at Rush University in Chicago, IL.
Mick Bernstein (MASR 2017) recently took a position as a Data Analyst with T-Mobile.
Dr. Ashley Daily Clinthorne (PhD 2013) was recently promoted to the position of Senior Decision Scientist at VF Corporation in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Dawn Goldbolt (PhD 2017) recently started a new position as Director of Health Equity with Maven Project, a nonprofit whose mission is to improve access to high-quality specialty health care among diverse and underserved populations.
Maven was founded in 2014 by Kate Ryder and is "the most comprehensive platform of its kind, providing critical support across fertility, pregnancy, adoption, parenting, and pediatrics."
Kelly Grove (MS 2017) recently took a new position as a Health Equity Strategic Consultant at Florida Department of Health.
Dr. Dan Harison (PhD 2001) has launced a new podcast called “Inside Jackson Station,” which is related to his latest book, Live at Jackson Station: Music, Community and Tragedy in a Southern Blues Bar (University Press of South Carolina, 2021). The podcast takes listeners behind the scenes of an iconic South Carolina blues bar. Hear stories from the artists who made Jackson Station such a special place, including Bob Margolin, Glenn Phillips, Mattie Phifer, Catherine Brickley, Jeff Calder, and the Reverend Billy C. Wirtz.
Dr. Brian Knop (PhD 2017) and Dr. Stacy Salerno (PhD 2018) were recently married to one another!
Dr. Carrie Sloan Mata (PhD 2008) recently struck out on her own as an Independent Higher Education Research and Accreditation Consultant. She provides strategic higher education consulting for small private colleges and higher education organizations.
Dr. Rebecca Redmond (PhD 2016) was recently promoted to the role of Director of EDI Assessment & Research at Duke University School of Medicine.
Dr. Keith Richard (PhD 2018) was recently promoted to the role of Statewide Director of Career and Technical Education Quality at the Florida Department of Education.
Dr. Lacey Ritter (PhD 2017) and co-editors Mitchell B Mackinem and Anisah Bagasra have published an edited volume, The Changing Faces of Higher Education.

This book gives voice to Millennial academics and their perspective of higher education, providing the insights and lessons from Millennials working in higher education across various subfields.
Dr. Erica Toothman (PhD 2013) recently took on the role of Sociology Undergraduate Program Director at the University of South Florida.
Dr. Christian Vaccaro (PhD 2011) recently took on the position of Director of Administration and Leadership Studies Research and Training Center at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Ursula (Keller) Weiss (PhD 2012) recently accepted a new position as the Director of Clinical Research for the FSU School of Medicine.
Dr. Stephanie (Otte) West (PhD 2018) recently took a new position as the Public Health Supervisor for Madison County and Dane County, Wisconsin.
Thank You to Our Donors!
Our fundraising efforts this year have continued to be very successful! As a result of your generosity, we surpassed the fundraising goal we set last Fall, raising just over $8000. That money has helped us to fund graduate student recruitment efforts, grant awards to both undergraduate and graduate students, and provide some supplemental educational opportunities for our students. We truly appreciate these investments in our programs and students!

We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to all of those who have donated to the department since our last newsletter update. You're amazing!
  • Dr. Anne Barrett
  • Dr. Dawn Carr
  • Mr. Frank Coto and Ms. Nicole Coto
  • Dr. Robert Hummer and Ms. Dawn Hummer
  • Dr. Irene Padavic
  • Drs. George and Clyda Rent
  • Dr. John Reynolds
  • Mr. Henry Rosen and Ms. Carol Rosen
  • Dr. Miles Taylor
  • Dr. Kathi Tillman
  • Dr. Koji Ueno

If you would like to support our student recruitment and training efforts, please donate today!
Celebrations!
cheering_crowd_trophy.jpg

This year we held our first in-person end-of-year Recognitions and Awards Ceremony since Spring of 2019. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up with one another and to celebrate the amazing people in our department!
Annual Departmental Awards
Best Undergraduate Student Paper Award

Sneha Kapil


Klar Graduate Student Research Paper Award
Jason D'Amours:
“Maybe We’re Turning a Corner”: HIV/AIDS Activists’ Views on Contemporary Prevention Technologies
Gloria T. Lessan Best Graduate Instructor Award
Sunshine Jacobs
J. Michael Armer Faculty Teaching Award
Dr. Anne Barrett
Annual SGSU Awards
Graduate Student Service Award

Taylor Darks
Graduate Student Mentor Award

Rebekah Carpenter
Faculty Teaching Award &
Faculty Mentor Award
Dr. Dawn Carr
Retirement Celebrations
At the end of the semester we held two retirement parties - one for Dr. Irene Padavic and one for Dr. Woody Carlson. While the two events were very different in style, both were fantastic celebrations of our amazing colleagues.
Dr. Irenes Padavic's retirement party was held in the Alumni Center on campus. Colleagues and friends from around the university came out to celebrate at this beautiful reception!
Dr. Woody Carlson's retirement party was an informal picnic-style event at the home of Dr. Dawn Carr. Colleagues, friends and and their families all joined together to congratulate Woody and wish him well!
Thinking Ahead
We would love to hear from you. Please share any updates we can include in our next issue by clicking the button.