Sociology Research Institute Highlights

PhD student Anastasia Dulle presented her research at the 2026 Sociological Research Institute. Anastasia's presentation was titled, "Problematizing Prayer: Religious Rhetorical Strategies in the Wake of Gun Violence."

PhD candidates Shania Kuo & Francesca Bernardino presented their research at the 2026 Sociological Research Institute. Their presentation was titled, "Asian American Symbolic Boundary-Making: Revisting Racial Triangulation."

Engin Yolcu, Nick Dickens, & Jordyn Wald during the first panel's Q&A session.

Panel 1 Topic: Digital Politics, Media, and Computational Approaches
 

PhD candidate Sierra Clark was awarded the Social Dimensions of Climate Change Fellowship

PhD candidates Christine Delp, Chris Robertson & Xiaowen Han were awarded the Martindale Award. The Martindale is a career achievement award to PhD candidates in their final year of study, meant to recognize excellence in graduate scholarship and achievement throughout the sociology graduate student career. 

*Not pictured: Xiaowen Han

PhD candidate Daniel Cueto-Villalobos was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Research Paper Award

PhD candidate Chris Robertson was the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Instructor award.

PhD students Jordyn Wald & Aras Koksal were the recipients of the Outstanding Graduate TA award.

*Not pictured: Aras Koksal

PhD candidate Daniel Cueto-Villalobos was the recipient of the Engaged Scholarship Award, which is awarded to a graduate student for their outstanding scholarly work that has some engagement or public dimension to it.

Assistant Professor Nick Gratez was awarded the Public Sociology Award. This award recognizes individuals or groups who are continually reaching beyond rigors of their research to engage a wider audience, who are working to understand the issues that engage us and to our understanding of events and change.

Associate Professor Tom VanHeuvelen was awarded the Faculty Mentoring Award. This award recognizes a faculty member for past and ongoing support and commitment to sociology students. This award is determined and presented by the graduate students of the Department of Sociology.