Biography
I am originally from Edinburg in the Rio Grande Valley. I received my B.A. in Sociology from Rice University in 2005, my M.A. in Sociology from Texas State University in 2009, and my Ph.D. in Sociology from Washington State University in 2013. I taught at Texas Christian University from 2013-2018. I began teaching at Texas State University in 2018.
Research Interests
My research interests are varied, though they often focus on environmental sociology, social studies of science, applied sociology, and research methods.
Some of my past research studies include: a qualitative study of community organizers for farmworkers in Texas, a survey of Washington and Nebraska residents on water governance issues, and a qualitative study of stakeholder perceptions of risk related to hydraulic fracturing in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
I have also examined environmental education and science communication in less traditional spaces, such as on Reddit (by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists) and in prisons (by non-incarcerated individuals involved in prison-based environmental programs).
Another strand of my work has focused on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Using the lens of environmental justice, I considered how NEPA was implemented for immigrant detention centers (by DHS). Using the lens of settler colonialism, I analyzed publicly submitted comments by Tribal-affiliated individuals and organizations to better understand how they viewed rule changes to NEPA under the Trump Administration. Using the lenses of neoliberal bureacratization and rationalization, I compared the changes to NEPA under both the Trump administration and the Biden administration.
Finally, I have collaborated with a number of students, supporting them in their project ideas. One student studied small agricultural producers' perceptions of success, while another investigated sense of community among people who are unhoused. Other students studied a pilot undergraduate applied research program, while an additional student explored Black and Hispanic undergraduate students' perceptions of climate anxiety, financial anxiety, and racial/ethnic discrimination anxiety in Texas.
Some of my past research studies include: a qualitative study of community organizers for farmworkers in Texas, a survey of Washington and Nebraska residents on water governance issues, and a qualitative study of stakeholder perceptions of risk related to hydraulic fracturing in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
I have also examined environmental education and science communication in less traditional spaces, such as on Reddit (by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists) and in prisons (by non-incarcerated individuals involved in prison-based environmental programs).
Another strand of my work has focused on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. Using the lens of environmental justice, I considered how NEPA was implemented for immigrant detention centers (by DHS). Using the lens of settler colonialism, I analyzed publicly submitted comments by Tribal-affiliated individuals and organizations to better understand how they viewed rule changes to NEPA under the Trump Administration. Using the lenses of neoliberal bureacratization and rationalization, I compared the changes to NEPA under both the Trump administration and the Biden administration.
Finally, I have collaborated with a number of students, supporting them in their project ideas. One student studied small agricultural producers' perceptions of success, while another investigated sense of community among people who are unhoused. Other students studied a pilot undergraduate applied research program, while an additional student explored Black and Hispanic undergraduate students' perceptions of climate anxiety, financial anxiety, and racial/ethnic discrimination anxiety in Texas.
Teaching Interests
My favorite classes to teach are about methods and environmental sociology. At Texas State, I have taught the following courses: Introduction to Sociology (SOCI 1310), Society & Environment (SOCI 3365), Quantitative Research Methods (SOCI 4308), Environmental Sociology (SOCI 5368), and Applied Survey Research (SOCI 5388J).