University of Arkansas Department of Sociology and Criminology

Check out the Newswire articles today featuring our fabulous faculty: Lauren Sabon and Christopher Shields participating in the panel on Awareness to Action: Advances in Sexual Violence Research to be held today at 4 p.m. in the E.J. Ball Courtroom, Leflar Law Center.
Also featured today in Newswire: Shaun Thomas, Johanna Thomas (SCWK) and Greneda Johnson (LAWD) have receive a $300,000 grant to extend and evaluate the Summer Pre-Law Program.

Welcome back!!! There are still seats available in two popular Criminology classes - Sociology ob Criminal Law taught by Christopher Shields, and Criminal Investigation taught by John Brooks. for more details see https://news.uark.edu/articles/61612/two-popular-criminology-classes-offered-in-fall-2022?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2022-08-15&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=two-popular-criminology-classes-offered-in-fall-2022

Two Popular Criminology Classes Offered in Fall 2022 The Department of Sociology and Criminology offers two popular courses that still have section openings — Sociology of Criminal Law and Criminal Investigation — for the fall semester.

Congratulations to Dr. Anna Zajicek, new interim Vice-Provost for Faculty Affairs! Way to go, Dr. Z! https://news.uark.edu/articles/60463/

Anna Zajicek Named Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs Zajicek will replace Kathryn Sloan, who was recently named the interim vice provost for academic affairs.

Feel more than welcome to join today's lecture "Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Effects by Race, Ethnicity, and Class," presented by Dr. Hearne.
WHEN: Thursday, December 2, 2021, at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Pryor Center at 1 East Center Street on the Downtown Fayetteville Square
Dr. Hearne will discuss the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative implications for public mental health. Her current study examines psychological distress patterns across race/ethnicity and educational attainment.
The Pryor Center Presents lecture series presented by the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences continues at 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 2, with "Psychological Distress Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic by Race/Ethnicity and Educational Attainment," featuring Brittany N. Hearne, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. This series is part of the Pryor Center's expanded mission of education, research and outreach.
The event is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.
Dr. Hearne completed her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University and her graduate studies at Vanderbilt University. Her research and teaching agendas include a focus on health patterns across social statuses and family arrangements. Using survey data sources, she has examined how depressive symptoms are patterned across race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment and various types of romantic relationships.

https://news.uark.edu/articles/58374/hearne-to-present-psychological-distress-during-the-covid-19-epidemic-at-pryor-center-on-dec-2?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-11-19&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=hearne-to-present-psychological-distress-during-the-covid-19-epidemic-at-pryor-center-on-dec-2&fbclid=IwAR1ySIzpR2e2TykTupjTvAp1iCbFgX4wjkVMbblk-iNIQ5XnezT11gLGJ98

Hearne to Present 'Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Epidemic' at Pryor Center on Dec. 2 Assistant professor Brittany N. Hearne will give a talk on

Pryor Center Presents
"Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Epidemic: The Effects by Race, Ethnicity, and Class"

WHEN: Thursday, December 2, 2021, at 6 p.m.
WHERE: The Pryor Center at 1 East Center Street on the Downtown Fayetteville Square

Dr. Hearne will discuss the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the negative implications for public mental health. Her current study examines psychological distress patterns across race/ethnicity and educational attainment.

The Pryor Center Presents lecture series presented by the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences continues at 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 2, with "Psychological Distress Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic by Race/Ethnicity and Educational Attainment," featuring Brittany N. Hearne, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. This series is part of the Pryor Center's expanded mission of education, research and outreach.

The event is free and open to the public, and registration is not required.

Dr. Hearne completed her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University and her graduate studies at Vanderbilt University. Her research and teaching agendas include a focus on health patterns across social statuses and family arrangements. Using survey data sources, she has examined how depressive symptoms are patterned across race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment and various types of romantic relationships.

More details can be found here: https://news.uark.edu/articles/58374/hearne-to-present-psychological-distress-during-the-covid-19-epidemic-at-pryor-center-on-dec-2?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-11-19&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=hearne-to-present-psychological-distress-during-the-covid-19-epidemic-at-pryor-center-on-dec-2

The Pryor Center Presents lecture series presented by the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences continues at 6 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 2, with "Psychological Distress Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic by Race/Ethnicity and Educational Attainment," featuring Dr. Brittany N. Hearne, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. This series is part of the Pryor Center's expanded mission of education, research and outreach.

More details can be found here:
https://news.uark.edu/articles/58374/hearne-to-present-psychological-distress-during-the-covid-19-epidemic-at-pryor-center-on-dec-2?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-11-19&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=hearne-to-present-psychological-distress-during-the-covid-19-epidemic-at-pryor-center-on-dec-2

Hearne to Present 'Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Epidemic' at Pryor Center on Dec. 2 Assistant professor Brittany N. Hearne will give a talk on

Congratulations to Dr. Fitzpatrick!
Kevin M. Fitzpatrick, University Professor in sociology and criminology and the Endowed Jones Chair in Community at the University of Arkansas, has received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from his alma mater, Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

More details here:
https://news.uark.edu/articles/58198/sociology-s-kevin-m-fitzpatrick-receives-alma-mater-s-distinguished-alumni-service-award?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-11-08&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=sociology-s-kevin-m-fitzpatrick-receives-alma-mater-s-distinguished-alumni-service-award

Sociology's Kevin M. Fitzpatrick Receives Alma Mater's Distinguished Alumni Service Award Kevin M. Fitzpatrick, University Professor in sociology and criminology, has received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from his alma mater, Susquehanna University.

Congratulations to Terrorism Research Center!

Researchers at the University of Arkansas' Terrorism Research Center were recently awarded $893,721 from the National Institute of Justice to study online radicalization and domestic violent extremism in the United States.

The three-year project is one of the most comprehensive investigations to date examining risk factors for violent, non-violent, and cyber extremism, spanning across multiple terrorist ideologies — extreme right-wing, extreme left-wing, and radical Islamic terrorism.

Source:

https://news.uark.edu/articles/58167/-dot-coms-to-pipe-bombs-terrorism-research-center-studying-offline-and-online-extremism?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-11-03&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=-dot-coms-to-pipe-bombs-terrorism-research-center-studying-offline-and-online-extre

'Dot Coms to Pipe Bombs': Terrorism Research Center Studying Offline and Online Extremism Researchers at the Terrorism Research Center were recently awarded $893,721 from the National Institute of Justice to study online radicalization and domestic violent extremism in the U.S.

Congratulations to Dr. Drawve!

Grant Drawve, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, will receive a little more than $51,000 to analyze gun crime in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as part of a larger $700,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to the Chattanooga Police Department. Drawve’s Crime and Security Data Analytics lab, which is part of the U of A’s Terrorism Research Center, promotes multidisciplinary research on crime and security issues through partnerships with private and public agencies and offers training to students in areas and methodologies of crime analysis.

Drawve’s grant is a collaboration with both the Chattanooga Police Department and Rick Dierenfeldt, an assistant professor in the Department of Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga.

Ultimately, the goal is to better understand where, when and at what frequency gun crime is likely to occur so that an accurate response can be brought to bear.

“It is great to see Chattanooga Police Department reach out and want to work with researchers,” Drawve said. “With a movement towards more evidence- and data-driven approaches, CPD is taking early steps to understand if what they are implementing is working as desired.”

Source:
https://news.uark.edu/articles/58132/u-s-bureau-of-justice-assistance-awards-50-000-to-study-gun-crime?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-10-29&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=u-s-bureau-of-justice-assistance-awards-50-000-to-study-gun-crime

U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance Awards $50,000 to Study Gun Crime The award will support data-informed practices to identify predictors and variables related to gun crime in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with an intent to reduce frequency of violence.

The University of Arkansas One Book, One Community committee has selected Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting Pot Cuisine for the 2021 reading program.

Join Us for Chef Edward Lee's Public Lecture!
When: Thursday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Where: Jim and Joyce Faulkner Performing Arts Center
Tickets are free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. Reserve your tickets today.

Here is a review of the book from Amazon- ““With the release of Buttermilk Graffiti, Edward Lee proves himself to be one of our country’s great chroniclers of culture. Going all the way back to de Tocqueville, the most informative and impactful writing has examined class, society, culture, assimilation, and food. Lee now joins that long list of food/culture warriors, deciphering our modern world through what we can learn from its food and inspiring us to look at what we eat, where it comes from, who is cooking it, and why. In today’s political and social climate, this book is as timely as it is important.”
—Andrew Zimmern, chef, teacher, author, and host of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern”

Paulina Sobczak, one of our second-year Sociology MA students was awarded the Southern Exposure film fellowship in Alabama. During the six-week summer fellowship, Paulina created a short documentary film "Heal the River." During the fellowship, she could apply a sociological perspective on environmental issues.
See her film during the FREE virtual premiere screening of the 2021 Southern Exposure documentary films - Thursday, September 30 from 6-8 pm CST. After screening there will be panel discussion.
For those of you who are interested, please use the link below to register! www.alabamarivers.org/se_2021
About the film

Hydropower dams, built decades ago, have dramatically altered river systems across Alabama. Downstream of the Harris Dam on the Tallapoosa River, families and landowners who have lost property and use of the river have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make changes to the operation of the dam through the relicensing process. Their hope is that these changes can improve downstream conditions and can begin to heal the river.
About the fellowship
"The Southern Exposure Film Fellowship seeks the best and brightest emerging documentary filmmakers committed to protecting our natural resources, improving human health and achieving environmental justice through film, journalism and collective action. The six week summer fellowship, hosted by the Alabama Rivers Alliance, provides a positive and challenging learning experience to exceptional film students and emerging filmmakers seeking to explore and develop their own voices as environmental advocates through nonfiction storytelling."

Regan Harper, one of our second year Sociology MA students received 2nd Place Graduate in the DART Annual Conference Poster Competition! Data Analytics that are Robust and Trust (DART) is a multi-institutional, interdisciplinary, statewide grant program leveraging $24 million over 5 years to expand research, workforce development, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational outreach in Arkansas. Several of our sociology faculty have been involved in this project, including Regan’s advisor and co-author, Dr. Yang.

Regan’s paper award has earned her travel funding to present her work at a national conference. The paper, entitled "Racial and Gender Homophily in Classroom Discussion Networks,” is summarized below.

Congratulations Regan!

"Previous studies on homophily tend to focus on positive social relationships, like friendships, which overlooks the negative networks formed through the access to internet. Our study employs an online discussion platform and examines the hidden and invisible forces that bond people together, in both positive and negative networks. Using multidimensional scaling (MDS), we analyzed networks of users who discussed the topic of carrying guns on campus. We found that there is some evidence of racial and gender homophily in the overall, negative and positive online networks."

More details can be found here
https://dartproject.org/posters/

The Teaching Sociology team is hosting a FREE webinar for graduate students on the Peer Review Process. The webinar will be held on September 23 at 7 p.m. ET. To RSVP to the webinar use the link below.
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=LYYGGPBbaEeSFTK-28sJHulnWkvQNWVFi8cde_WCyopUNE1TMEFIV0JXU0ZZMTFPSFlaMlZWVURGOC4u

Graduate Students are invited for a Coffee and Conversation virtual conversation about Co-Authoring in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. The event is hosted by Teaching Sociology. Coffee and Conversation will be held on September 25 at 2 p.m. ET. To RSVP to the webinar use the link below.
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=LYYGGPBbaEeSFTK-28sJHulnWkvQNWVFi8cde_WCyopUOTRSWkNWU1VVNVRDTFg3UktJUDFUSjE1WC4u

We are happy to welcome and introduce Collin Huntzinger, one of our first-year graduate students in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, Fall 2021. Collin, we wish you many successes and accomplishments while pursuing our Master's Program at the University of Arkansas.

Here you can learn more about Collin:
I've always strived to help others, and I think my skills in my field of study will be able to help and reach many individuals.
I am assigned to the Center of Social Research under Dr. Shaun Thomas. Dr. Thomas has many research opportunities that I am excited to be a part of in the future.
I am interested in a load of topics however, medical sociology, as well as victimization, have piqued my interest recently.
I am from Tx, I have two different colored eyes, and I enjoy being outdoors the most.

We are happy to welcome and introduce Alina Rudakova., one of our first-year graduate students in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, Fall 2021. Alina, we wish you many successes and accomplishments while pursuing our Master's Program at the University of Arkansas.

Here you can learn more about Alina:

My name is Alina Rudakova. I have BA in Criminal Justice; I graduated in 2021 from Henderson State University. I am currently pursuing an MA in Sociology and Criminology (I lean more towards Criminology).

Since my early teenage years, I have been interested in learning more about how our society works and why our world faces so much crime and injustice. Especially why, in some instances, the law is unfair (for me, it was a big concern since I grew up in Ukraine and Russia); that is why I decided on studying Criminology and Sociology.

At the moment, I have several research interests. I am interested in researching the relationship between religious dogma and domestic violence (interpersonal violence), and another topic I am interested in researching is terrorism. To be honest, I consider interpersonal violence and wife battering as domestic terrorism.

I am working as a TA for Professor Griffis and Professor Mortenson.

Interesting facts about me: I speak fluently Ukrainian and Russian. I love reading fiction books and play PC games. I am also very fascinated by Asian cultures.

We are happy to welcome and introduce Anna Wahls, one of our first-year graduate students in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, Fall 2021. Anna, we wish you many successes and accomplishments while pursuing our Master's Program at the University of Arkansas.

Here you can learn more about Anna:
"I am a Master's student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. My assistantship assignment is working for Dr. Fitzpatrick with the Community and Family Institute. I was attracted to this field because of the value of social science research. One of my aims is to learn how, if, and when research can inform and transform policy.

I am working on refining my interests but determining how health outcomes are influenced by race and ethnicity is important to me. More specifically, I am curious about how multi-racial/multi-ethnic identity functions within the current framework of health disparities.

Some random facts… I've never seen one of the Back to the Future movies so I'm not sure what I'm missing out on. Also, kimchi has recently become my favorite food. "

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,
We are excited to have you back on campus! We hope that you will have a wonderful Fall Semester full of experience and many accomplishments. Please stay safe!
Best wishes,
Department of Sociology and Criminology

Congratulations to the 2021 recipients of our annual teaching and research faculty awards, who are selected for their demonstrated excellence in these areas!

“We could not be prouder to introduce our 2021 awardees, many of whom have been going above and beyond in their service and research for years,” Shields added. “These folks consistently demonstrate the highest levels of dedication, professionalism and passion, which betters our college and the world beyond.”

Recipients include (pictured from left to right):
✨ Lorraine Brewer
✨ Douglas Rhoads
✨ Ron Warren
✨ Sean Teuton
✨ Douglas Adams
✨ Kevin Fitzpatrick
✨ Rhodora Vennarucci
✨ Dené Wamsley (not pictured)

✍ --- http://ow.ly/iq0e30rPuVK

University of Arkansas Department of Sociology and Criminology
Department of Communication at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas - Department of World Languages
The Department of English, University of Arkansas

Congratulations, Dr. Hearne!

Brittany Hearne, assistant professor in University of Arkansas Department of Sociology and Criminology, was recently named one of the 39 new Career Enhancement Fellows by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.

The fellowship seeks to increase the presence of underrepresented junior and other faculty members in the humanities, social sciences and arts by creating career development opportunities for selected fellows with promising and exceptional research projects.

Full story: http://ow.ly/md8N30rO328

Congratulations to Dr. Casey T. Harris, Graduate Director and Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology!

Dr. Harris was named one of eight honorees as Outstanding Faculty Members of the Year by the Associated Student Government and the Graduate Professional Student Congress.

https://news.uark.edu/articles/57110/outstanding-faculty-member-awards-announced-for-2020-21-academic-year?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-06-25&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=outstanding-faculty-member-awards-announced-for-2020-21-academic-year&fbclid=IwAR26rik8HSyH2wHTGDBACnCkUTN7STB-TyVjjnRA2GcyM05cHYPVQMvsDgI

Outstanding Faculty Member Awards Announced for 2020-21 Academic Year Albert Cheng, Casey T. Harris, Jacquelyn Mosley, Alejandro Rojas, Meredith Scafe, Zhenghui Sha, Jennifer Veilleux and Amelia Villaseñor were honored by ASG and the GPSC.

Congratulations to the University of Arkansas Department of Sociology and Criminology for earning this year's Daniel E. Ferritor Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching at the U of A! The award was given in recognition of the team’s dedication to being a “student-ready department” that champions teaching excellence and inclusion.

More about the award: http://ow.ly/Jo4v30rJ4zs

Congratulations to all graduating students from the Department of Sociology and Criminology! Congratulations on your well-deserved success. Best wishes for your future endeavors and career. Happy Graduation Day!

Department of Sociology and Criminology Wins 2021 Ferritor Award!
"The Department of Sociology and Criminology earned this year's Daniel E. Ferritor Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching at the U of A, in recognition of the team's dedication to being a "student-ready department" that champions teaching excellence and inclusion."

Source: https://news.uark.edu/articles/56832/department-of-sociology-and-criminology-wins-2021-ferritor-award?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-05-06&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=department-of-sociology-and-criminology-wins-2021-ferritor-award

Department of Sociology and Criminology Wins 2021 Ferritor Award The Department of Sociology and Criminology earned this year's Daniel E. Ferritor Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching for its dedication to students.

Today we're spotlighting Spencer Willis Shaw, one of our graduating seniors double majoring in criminology and sociology.

Congratulations to Spencer on his admission to the Florida State University’s Master of Science in Criminology program! Wishing you all the best for the future and all its challenges and opportunities.

Why did you choose your field of study?
I’ve always had a strong interest in how “normal” people become criminals, especially with regards to violent crime. I’m also fascinated with the feedback loop of how technology shapes our society and how society directs technological advancements.

What is your research interest?
Primarily, I am interested in how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence can be used to assist criminologists, especially how digital data collection and/or processing can be automated consistently, confidently, and correctly. Additionally, I am interested in how people are radicalized to the point of committing violent attacks, with specific focus on the rise in alt-right terrorist activity over the internet.

What is your greatest academic accomplishment?
Authoring my undergraduate honors thesis, in which I successfully train a neural network to recognize certain forms of hateful and/or violent speech. I hope to get my thesis published soon after I graduate in an academic journal.

What has been your favorite class? Why?
Dr. Shields’ Special Topics course on Human Trafficking. It offered me an opportunity to publish and present original academic research at the ACJS 2019 Annual Conference in Baltimore and gain tremendously valuable experience regarding upper-level academic work. Ultimately, that class helped me decide to continue my education in a Master’s program.

What is your plan after graduation?
I have been admitted to Florida State University’s Master of Science in Criminology program, where I will begin in the fall. I am excited to move to Tallahassee, though I will miss Northwest Arkansas dearly, as it is where I have spent most of my life.

What are some interesting (nonacademic) facts about you?
I spent several years as a teenager in Brazil, and I speak Portuguese because of that experience. I currently work part-time as a video game designer. I hope to publish a novel one day, and have taken every creative writing class offered by the university (some more than once).

The May episode of Short Talks From the Hill, a research podcast of the U of A, features Dr. Jeff Gruenewald, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology and director of the Terrorism Research Center in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

To listen to Dr. Gruenewald discuss the Capitol attack and other issues related to terrorism, including the use of social media to organize and spread information, and misinformation, go to Arkansas Research (https://arkansasresearch.uark.edu/), the home of research news at the U of A, or visit the "On Air" and "Programs" link at KUAF.com.

Source: https://news.uark.edu/articles/56817/terrorism-research-center-director-gruenewald-discusses-attack-on-u-s-capitol?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email2021-05-04&utm_campaign=news_headlines&utm_content=terrorism-research-center-director-gruenewald-discusses-attack-on-u-s-capitol

Terrorism Research Center Director Gruenewald Discusses Attack on U.S. Capitol In the latest episode of Short Talks From the Hill, Jeff Gruenewald, associate professor of sociology and criminology, talks about the

Today we're spotlighting Caylee Dyer, one of our graduating seniors majoring in criminology and sociology.

Congratulations on your graduation, Caylee! Best wishes for your next adventure! We can't wait to see what you accomplish in the future.

"My name is Caylee Dyer and I am double majoring in criminology and sociology.

I chose my field of study not only because I deemed it interesting but because it would allow me to pressure a career where I could help people and really make a change.

My research interest is analyzing organized crime and human trafficking.

My greatest academic accomplishments would be receiving a 4.0 for 3 consecutive semesters and finalizing a 25-page paper on human trafficking in Thailand.

After graduation, I am interviewing for a job with the Texas Department of Public Safety as a crime analyst in the intelligence and counterterrorism department.

Something interesting about me is that I lived in Dubai, UAE for 10 years prior to moving to the United States."

Great News! Department of Sociology and Criminology received the 2021 Daniel E. Ferritor Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching at the University of Arkansas.

The award is named in honor of Daniel E. Ferritor who served as Chancellor of the University of Arkansas from 1986 to 1997 and as interim chancellor in 2015. He also founded the Teaching Academy in 1988. The annual award honors the academic unit that best exemplifies a sustained, department-wide commitment to teaching excellence for all students.