Author Archives: dhou1

Assistant Professor – Criminology | Eastern Connecticut State University

Assistant Professor in Criminology

The Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology, and Social Work at Eastern
Connecticut State University invites applications for a full-time (10-month), tenure-track,
Assistant Professor appointment in Criminology to begin August 2026. Applicants must
have a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching excellence, scholarship, student
advisement, university and community service, and sensitivity to diverse populations and
perspectives.

Position Description:
The successful candidate will have expertise in law enforcement/policing and must be
prepared to teach courses in this and related subjects (e.g. introduction to law
enforcement, criminal justice ethics, cybersecurity, crime control technology, criminal
justice policy). The candidate will join a dynamic multi-disciplinary department and help
meet high demand among students seeking careers in policing, law enforcement, and
similar criminal justice fields. The successful candidate will also have an appreciation for
the relevance of social and cultural diversity to understanding crime and crime control.

Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Ph.D. in Criminology, Sociology, or a closely related
discipline; ABD applicants who anticipate completion of the doctorate by Fall 2026, and
who have clear evidence of effective teaching, will also be considered. Please note a Juris
Doctor degree alone is not an adequate qualification for consideration.

To apply:
Please upload one combined PDF including a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, teaching
philosophy statement, and a copy of undergraduate and graduate transcripts to the
resume tab at Assistant Professor, Criminology Tenure Track – Eastern CT State
University – Career Page. A list with contact information for 3 references is also needed.
The position will remain open until it is filled; however, priority will be given to applications
received by November 15, 2025. 

Student Paper Competition – American Sociological Association

The American Sociological Association’s Section on Crime, Law, and Deviance invites submissions for the 2026 Distinguished Student Paper Award competition. This award is presented annually for the best paper authored by a graduate student. Papers may be empirical or theoretical and can address any topic in the sociology of crime, law, and deviance. Submissions may be sole- or multiple-authored, but all authors must be students at the time of submission. Papers should be article length (approximately 30 double spaced pages) and should follow the manuscript preparation guidelines used by the American Sociological Review. Papers accepted for publication at the time of submission are not eligible. The winner will receive $500 to offset the cost of attending the 2026 ASA meeting. Nominations may be submitted by the author or by others, and we encourage self-nominations.

Please send a PDF of the paper to the Award Committee Chair, Dr. Bryan Sykes (bls244@cornell.edu) with the subject line CLD Distinguished Student Paper Nomination.

Committee:

  • Bryan Sykes (Chair), Cornell University
  • Stacy DeCoster, North Carolina State University
  • Anne K. Johnson, Washington State University
  • Felipe Salazar-Tobar, Kennesaw State University

CJARS Virtual Data Enclave

The Criminal Justice Administrative Records System (CJARS) is excited to announce the launch of our new Virtual Data Enclave (VDE)!

The VDE is a cutting-edge research server, hosted by the University of Michigan, providing users secure, remote access to our curated microdata. Our data products are recognized as the gold standard of harmonized and integrated criminal justice administrative records and now include 200+ million criminal justice events, covering >84% of the U.S. population.

VDE Highlights:

  • Simplified and expedited proposal review (<30 days, not 12-18 months)
  • Remote access from home or office
  • Support for integrating your own records
  • Fast statistical disclosure turnarounds (<10 business days)
  • Free trial access through the end of 2025

Whether you’re interested in advancing research, informing policy, or supporting evidence-based decision-making, now is the perfect time to explore the platform’s robust features and comprehensive data holdings. To learn more, please visit https://cjars.org/vde or reach out to us with your questions at cjars-vde-users@umich.edu.

Boren Fellowship for Critical Language Study

The Boren Fellowship supports graduate students who are U.S. citizens and who want to pursue language study in non-traditional regions and countries for a minimum of six months. Applicants also have the option to add a self-designed research component. As alumni, Boren Fellows are committed to public service, working in federal positions.

The Boren Fellowship funds language study and research proposals by U.S. graduate students in world regions critical to U.S. interests. It provides up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks and up to an additional $5,000 for domestic language study during the summer preceding the overseas portion. This is entirely optional but may be useful preparation for Boren Fellows whose overseas program requires they arrive at their overseas location with strong language skills.

Eligible regions include Africa, South Asia, East and Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and former Soviet Republics, Latin America, and the Middle East. Boren Fellowships MAY NOT be used for study in Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

In addition to self-designed study programs in eligible countries, the Boren Awards program offers two regional language initiatives. These include domestic and overseas study:

  • African Flagship Languages Initiative (AFLI) to study French, Swahili, Akan/Twi, Wolof, or Zulu;
  • Southeast Asian Flagship Languages Initiative (SEAFLI) to study either Indonesian, Thai, or Vietnamese

Information Sessions
Learn more and register for an upcoming session:

Interested but unable to attend? Please contact Leslie Brice Bustamante at lbrice@umd.edu.

Important: The Boren Fellowship is a U.S. Government-funded award that seeks applicants who have a strong interest in future Federal Government service; the award carries a one-year service requirement.

Important: Participants must maintain their student status while abroad and may be responsible for associated fees and minimum tuition requirements.

High Acceptance Rate: All UMD applicants for the Boren Fellowship are encouraged to participate in a campus application process, which is designed to help strengthen the application. UMD graduate students have over a 50% acceptance rate!

National Deadline: January 22, 2026 at 5:00 pm ET

Upcoming Professional Development Workshops by the Graduate School

Getting Started with Your Teaching Philosophy Statement

Thursday, October 30, 12:30-1:45 pm, ESJ 0201 | Registration

Writing a teaching philosophy statement can feel overwhelming, but this workshop will provide you with guidance. You’ll explore the purpose and qualities of an effective statement, review examples, and work through steps to draft or refine your own. Whether you’re starting from scratch or finalizing a draft, you’ll leave with a clear plan and greater confidence in articulating your teaching approach.

If you have trouble registering in Workday, please email tltc-admin@umd.edu

Ethical Concerns in Writing and Publishing with Generative AI

Thursday, October 30, 12-1:00 pm, zoom | Registration

Generative AI offers a wide range of efficiencies for writing and publishing your research, but there are also a number of ethical concerns that any scholar should consider before incorporating generative AI tools into their searching and writing practices.  Join Linda Macri Director of the Center for Writing & Oral Communication, and Michelle WIlson, Head of Open Scholarship Services, for this important conversation.

A2i Career Insights Lineup: How I Got Every Job I Really Wanted (and what you can learn from it)

Friday, October 31, 1-2:00 pm, virtual | Registration

Breaking into industry isn’t luck. It’s about knowing what you want and staying open to how it unfolds. Learn how a recent graduate student used her superpowers (curiosity, intentionality, and a willingness to learn) to create a career strategy that helped her land every job she truly wanted, and how you can apply the same approach to launch your own industry career.

Overqualified or Underqualified? Which Is It and What to Do About It

Wednesday, November 5, 12-12:45 pm, virtual | Registration

PhDs are often told by employers that they are overqualified for positions. But they’re also told that they don’t have enough experience. So, which is it?

Join the Beyond Prof team for this webinar on how to breakdown the overqualified vs. underqualified conundrum. Learn concrete strategies for overcoming this obstacle in your job search and how to communicate your value to employers.

This webinar is uniquely designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:

  • How should I describe my skills and experience to nonacademic employers?
  • How do I communicate the value I bring to nonacademic positions?
  • How can I prove I’m a qualified candidate when I do not have direct industry experience?

The webinar will be held via Zoom webinar and will be recorded. Advanced registration is required.

How to Job Search During Uncertain Times

Wednesday, November 19, 12-12:45 pm, virtual | Registration

The funding landscape for graduate students and PhDs in the US has changed dramatically over the last year. As policy changes continue to impact the future of higher education and academic research, many students and postdocs are feeling uncertain about their future in academia.

In this webinar, the Beyond Prof team will lay out a four-step framework to help graduate students and postdocs navigate career planning during times of change. Whether you’re exploring nonacademic career options or just looking for stability, this session will provide clarity and actionable steps to help you move forward with confidence.

This webinar is uniquely designed for doctoral students, PhDs, and postdocs from all academic disciplines who are wondering:

  • How can I assess my current situation in higher education?
  • How can I explore my nonacademic career options?
  • Why do I need to build a community to help me during these uncertain times?

U.S. Work Visa Pathways

Thursday, November 6, 12-1:00 pm, VHM 2517 | Registration

Join immigration attorney Yalda Hadavi of YH Global Immigration to learn more about the different pathways to employment available to international students in the US.  Ms. Hajavi will offer insights into navigating the legal challenges and requirements, ensuring attendees are well-prepared for their immigration journey.

NSF GRFP Is Now Accepting Applications for the Next Cycle (2026-2027 Academic Year)

Established in 1952, the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s oldest graduate fellowship program. It supports outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in STEM or STEM-related fields, ranging from engineering to physical sciences, life sciences, and social sciences as well as STEM education.

Program highlights include:

  • Financial support for three years (within a five-year period)
  • Stipend: $37,000  
  • Cost of Education allowance: $16,000 per year 
  • No service requirement after completion of the fellowship

We encourage prospective applicants, faculty, and staff to view the GRFP Solicitation for eligibility requirements and program guidelines.

For additional information about the GRFP and the application deadlines, please visit www.nsfgrfp.org. The application deadline window from November 10-14, 2025, varies by program.

Spring Grad Seminar: EDHD 850

EDHD 850: Social Cognition and Moral Development

Tuesdays, 1:00pm to 3:45 pm, Spring, 2026
LSC room 2130

Prof. Melanie Killen

 Social cognition and moral judgment are complex social abilities that form the foundations of human interactions and development. How do children learn to allocate resources, resolve interpersonal and intergroup conflicts, include others in group contexts, and refrain from engaging in aggressive behavior towards others? Included in this seminar will be a focus on the emergence of moral judgment, fairness, equality, others’ intentions, group identity, intergroup attitudes, bias, in-group and outgroup dynamics, theory of mind, and mental state knowledge. We will also include new research on the ethics of A.I., as well as A.I. tools powered to improve classroom climates. 

Understanding how parents, teachers, and adults prepare children to navigate the social world is also necessary for addressing these questions. These are fundamental questions about human behavior that have been studied by developmental scientists, educational researchers, criminologists, philosophers, anthropologists, and sociologists.  To address these issues, we will read articles that focus on the social, moral, and cognitive aspects of human development that have implications for education and creating positive change.  Foundational and current empirical work will form the basis for class discussions and presentations.  This is primarily a reading seminar.  Written assignments will reflect the papers students are currently working on in their graduate training program.

             
This seminar is open to graduate students in human development, counseling, school psychology, developmental psychology, criminology, family science, public health, philosophy, and related disciplines.  Please contact Melanie Killen, mkillen@umd.edu for questions.

Assistant/Associate Professor of Sociology – Criminology (Tenure Track)

Assistant/Associate Professor of Sociology – Criminology (Tenure Track)

Location
University of Oklahoma, Norman Campus
Deadline
Jan 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Description
The Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Department of Sociology at the University of Oklahoma seeks applicants for a full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor or an accelerated tenure track or tenured Associate Professor of Sociology with a starting date of August 16, 2026, teaching 2 courses per semester.

We encourage applications from all interested and qualified parties. Our mission statement and other information can be found at ou.edu/cas/soc. The successful candidate will teach Sociology, Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Race/Ethnicity courses to lower and upper division undergraduate students, as well as graduate courses, and may teach specialty courses in their areas of interest. We welcome scholars who complement our existing departmental strengths. We seek a scholar who will publish cutting-edge, innovative research in top-tier journals, who will inspire and mentor students, participate in service, and contribute to efforts to gain external grants. The successful candidate may also participate in the OU Sociology Inside-Out Program at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center, an Oklahoma women’s prison. The Department of Sociology is comprised of 22 full-time faculty, 37 full-time graduate students, and approximately 500 majors.

Qualifications
Required:

  • ABD or PhD in Sociology or related field
  • Experience teaching Sociology, Criminology, Criminal Justice, and/or Race/Ethnicity

Preferred (not required):

  • External grant funding

Application Instructions
Applicants should submit: 1) a cover letter describing their qualifications as well as their vision and plans for the position; 2) a complete curriculum vitae; 3) a writing sample; and 4) contact information for three confidential letters of recommendation.

The search committee will begin reviewing applications on January 15, 2026. Position will remain open until filled. Inquiries should be directed to the search committee chair:

Dr. Meredith G. F. Worthen, Professor
The University of Oklahoma
mgfworthen@ou.edu