Ph.D. Students
Ian Duncan (Ph.D. 2019)
An Examination of Capital in a Network of People Who Inject Drugs
Committee: Kirk Dombrowski (Chair), Bilal Khan, Jeff Smith, and Nichols Guenzel
First Position: TBA
Colleen Ray (Ph.D. 2019)
Correlates of the Reporting of and Arrests for Sexually-Based Offenses and Domestic Violence Incidents
Committee: Kristen Olson and Kimberly Tyler (Co-chairs), Amy Anderson, and Lisa Kort-Butler
First position:Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellow at CDC in the Divion of Violence Prevention
Research Interest: In my position I will be working on projects related to the prevention of sexual and domestic violence. Primarily I will work on two projects, one about child sexual abuse in youth serving organizations, and one about disrupting the cycle of domestic violence.
Brandi Woodell (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Health in Rural Communities: Variation in Resource Utilization by Sexual Orientation and Gender
Current position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Old Dominion University.
First position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Old Dominion University
Research interests: Dr. Woodell’s research explores how social factors interact to create and reinforce social inequality. Specifically, her research examines the disparities between sexual minorities and heterosexuals within social contexts like religion, family, and health.
Jerreed Ivanich (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Understanding Mental and Behavioral Health of American Indian Youth and Application of the Social Convoy Model.
Current position: Post doc, John Hopkins University.
First position: Post doc, John Hopkins University
Research interests: The focal point of Jerreed's research interest centers on racial disparities, primarily American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) populations.
Lorri Merchant (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Stress, The Religious Coping Resources of Meaning Making, Forgiveness, and Divine Reliance and the Mental Health of Seventh-Day Adventists
Current position: Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, TN, faculty
First position: Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, TN, faculty
Raeda Anderson (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Disabled and Out? Social Interaction Barriers and Mental Health among Older Adults with Physical Disabilities
Current position: Assistant Professor of Sociology at Georgia State University
First position: Assistant Professor of Sociology at Georgia State University
Research interests: Dr. Anderson’s research interests include survey implementation and biopsychosocial analysis of physical disability.
Dogan Hatun (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Disentangling the Roles of Modernization and Secularization on Fertility: The Case of Turkey
Current position: Usak University / Turkey
First position: The Ministry of Education of Turkey
Research interests: Family, Fertility, and Religion
Stacy Tiemeyer (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Examining Retrospective Measurement of Ambivalence About First Births and Psychological Well-Being Using A Hybrid Cross-Survey Multiple Imputation Approach
Current position: Research scientist
First position: Research scientist Oklahoma State University
Research interests: My recent research focuses on the interrelationships between social structures, cognitive processes, and behaviors, with a particular focus on maternal and child health.
Nathan Palmer (Ph.D. 2018)
Dissertation title: Measuring the Sociological Imagination via Undergraduate Explanations of Social Inequality
Current position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Georgia Southern University
First position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Georgia Southern University
Research interests: I research how people explain human behavior and social phenomena. This agenda has two broad focuses: 1. How people explain social inequality. 2. How sociologist's explanations of human behavior and social phenomena differs from the explanations of non-sociologists. This second focus leads me to do research on sociology as a discipline and how sociologists develop from novices to experts.
Patrick Habecker (Ph.D. 2017)
Dissertation title: Who Do You Know: Improving and Exploring the Network Scale-Up Method
Current position: Post doc in the Research, Evaluation and Analysis for Community Health (REACH) Lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
First position: Post doc in the Research, Evaluation and Analysis for Community Health (REACH) Lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research interests: Dr. Habecker specializes in survey research and methodology, network analysis, simulation, and quantitative analysis. He oversees graduate student research on projects from Puerto Rico and Alaska, as well as pursuing his own network science-related research here in Nebraska.
Lesa Johnson (Ph.D. 2016)
Dissertation title: NETWORK SUPPORT VARIATION FOR BLACK WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES: A MOBILITY STUDY OF IMMIGRANT AND NON-IMMIGRANT BLACK WOMEN
Current position: Assistant Professor, University of California- Chico
First position: Assistant Professor, University of California- Chico
Research interests: Dr. Johnson has conducted research on the social support and mental health of Black American and Black Caribbean women by socioeconomic status, on the social support and economic mobility prospects of Black American and South Sudanese women in the U.S., and on the social justice initiatives of university students from marginalized backgrounds at a predominately-white institution (PWI). Currently, she conducts participatory action research with two marginalized communities in Chico and surrounding areas.
Laura Simon (Ph.D. 2016)
Dissertation title: Sex Across the Life Course: An Examination of Social Influences on Adolescent Sexual Attitudes and Associations between Sexual Behavior Patterns and Young Adult Health
Current position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Mercer University
First position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Mercer University
Research interests: My dissertation work examined the associations between life course sexual partnerships and mental and physical health outcomes. In this work, I studied the complexities of both adolescent and emerging adulthood sexual patterns and the implications for young adult health. My current research remains centered on the examination of health across the life course and associated risk trajectories. I believe it is important to take a life course approach in the study of the health in order to inform policy and community-based programming that can improve health and well-being for individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
Dana Hautala (Ph.D. 2016)
Dissertation title: Three Studies Examining the Mechanisms Linking Stress Exposure to Delinquency and Substance Use among North American Indigenous Adolescents
Current position: Post Doc, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus
First position: Post Doc, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus
Lina Stover (Ph.D. 2016)
Dissertation title: Latino/a students maneuvering through the admissions and retention systems
Current position: UNO Associate director of Admissions
First position: UNO Associate director of Admissions
Research interests: Education/stratification/race and ethnicity
Scott Adams (Ph.D. 2015)
Dissertation title: Examining the Interplay Between Spousal and Non-Spousal Social Support and Strain on Trajectories of Functional Limitations among Married Older Adults
Current position: Data scientist at ABC Supply, Chicago, IL.
First position: Data Scientist at Nielsen, Chicago, IL
Research interests: Dr. Adams’ work focuses on ensuring the data quality and cost effectiveness of Nielsen's television operations. His research applies an array of analytic techniques such as multiple regression analysis, principal component and factor analysis, geospatial analysis, and complex survey design adjustments to topics related to social relationships, health, and age.
Rachel M. Schmitz (Ph.D. 2015)
Dissertation title: On The Street and On Campus: A Comparison of Life Course Trajectories Among Homeless and College Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Young Adults
Current position: Assistant Professor of Sociology, Oklahoma State University
First position: Assistant Professor, University of Texas Rio Grand Valley
Research interests: Dr. Schmitz’s work examines nuanced aspects of intersecting social inequalities within the realms of gender, sexuality, social class, and family using primarily qualitative methods, with complementary work using quantitative techniques. Currently, she is conducting a qualitative interview study that examines LGBTQ Latinx young people’s subjective interpretations of health within dominant societal frameworks that emphasize the risks they face.
Megumi Watanabe (Ph.D. 2015)
Dissertation title: Faculty Parental Status: An Investigation of Network Homophily, Marginalization, and Supportive Work-Family Academic Culture,
Current position: Administration at Hiroshima University; Hiroshima, Japan
First position: Position in Hiroshima, Japan University Education
Deadric Williams (Ph.D. 2015)
Dissertation title: CONTEXTUALIZING COUPLES: THREE ESSAYS ON INEQUALITY, STRESS, AND DYADIC FUNCTIONING AS A LONGITUDINAL AND RECIPROCAL PROCESS
Current position: Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska – Lincoln; Lincoln, Ne
First position: Post Doctorate University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Research interests: My research focusses on the intersections of families, health, and inequality. More specifically, I am a quantitative sociologist with research interests in the consequences of stress for health and health risk behaviors within families and among peer groups. My work emphasizes three general themes: reciprocity between stress and relationship health in couple dyads; stress exposure and mental (and physical) health outcomes; and, health risk behaviors.
Alian Kasabian (Ph.D. 2015)
Dissertation title: Capturing the Gendiverse: A Test of the Gender Self-Perception Scale, with Implications for Survey Data and Labor Market Measures,
Current position: UNL SBSRC, Research assistant Professor
First position: Post doc in the Research, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Research interests: My research focus is on gender and survey methodology – particularly data quality. My training is in gender and research methods, with a minor in survey methodology, and the majority of my work focuses on the measurement of sex and gender in surveys
Anna Bellatorre (Ph.D. 2014)
Dissertation title: WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU: EARLY LIFE COURSE RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES IN UNDIAGNOSED DIABETES,
Current position: Research Associate and SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study Coordinator - University of Colorado Denver
First position: Postdoctoral Researcher, National Institutes of Health, Washington, D.C.
Research interests: Medical Sociology, Quantitative Methodology, Biosociology, Survey Research and Methodology
Keri Gentzler (Ph.D. 2014)
Dissertation title: A Stress Process Model of Arrest among Homeless Women: Exploring Risk and Protective Factors,
Current position: Assistant Professor; Doane College, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Crete, NE
First position: Assistant Professor; Doane College, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Crete, NE
Kayla Pritchard (Ph.D. 2013)
Dissertation title: Multiple Motherhoods: An Examination of Mother Status on Life Satisfaction and Psychological Distress,
Current position: Assistant Professor; South Dakota School of Mines, Department of Social Sciences; Rapid City, SD
Grant Tietjen (Ph.D. 2013)
Dissertation title: Exploring Educational Pathways: Reintegration of the Formerly Incarcerated through the Academy
Current position: Assistant Professor; St. Ambrose University, Sociology & Criminal Justice; Davenport,
Master’s Students
Andrea Johnson (M.A. 2019)
Thesis title:The Perfect Match? Determinants of Job Placement Among PhD Earners
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Maia Behrendt (M.A. 2019)
Thesis title:Drinking Behaviors, Relationships, and Recovery: A Relational Sociological Examination of Addiction
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Grace Kelly (M.A. 2019)
Thesis title: Social Networks and Science Identity: Does Peer Commitment Matter?
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Marissa Cardwell (M.A. 2019)
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jessica Morrow (M.A. 2018)
Thesis title: Birds of a Feather? Friendship Utilization by Sexual Minority Students During the Transition to College
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Jamy Rentschler (M.A. 2018)
Thesis title: How State-Level Dynamics Shape Individual-Level Welfare Payments
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research interests: social inequalities, political sociology, public policy, religion, and quantitative methods
Brian Tussey (M.A. 2018)
Thesis title: Assessing Risks and Potential Protective Factors of Dating Violence Perpetration and Victimization
Current position: AmeriCorps Teaching, Lincoln, Nebraska
Research interests: I examine dating violence perpetration and victimization, attachment, family experiences, and high-risk behavior among young adults in both the United States and Latin America. I also examine how sex education curricula deal with LGBTQ issues, as well as how LGBTQ students are represented in the curriculum.
Jennifer Andersen (M.A. 2017)
Thesis title: Not Infertile, Can’t Have Children: Non-Reproductive Health Barriers to a Wanted Child,
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research interests: Sociology of Health, Sociology of Medicine, Life Course, Health and Aging
Shawn Ratcliff (M.A. 2017)
Thesis title: Protests in the Post-Cold War Era: World Systems Dynamics and Hardship Effects in Post-Colonial Countries
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research interests: political sociology, collective behavior and social movements, and social inequality.
Rosalind Kichler (M.A. 2016)
Thesis title: Understanding Transgender Community: Locating Support and Resiliency Using the Minority Stress Model
Current position: Ph.D. Student in Sociology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Research interests: I am interested in the ways in which LGBTQ+ persons construct their identities within a rapidly changing sociocultural context. Moreover, I examine how contemporary understandings of what it means to be “gay” influences LGBTQ+ community building.
Benjamin Forthun (M.A. 2016)
Thesis title: Fear and Loitering in Los Angeles: Contextualizing Fear in the Efficacy Framework,
Current position: Ph.D student at University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA
Jacob Absalon (M.A. 2016)
Thesis title: Changing Public Opinion Towards LGB Rights: An Analysis of Data from the American National Election Studies, 1992-2012,
Current position: Sociology Instructor, United States Military Academy West Point