Meet the SSN Graduate Fellows for 2015-16
Regional and working groups in the Scholars Strategy Network choose a graduate student fellow each year. Our fourth class includes twenty young women and men studying at universities from the North to the South and from the Atlantic to the mid-Pacific. Each is doing cutting-edge research that speaks to critical public challenges.
To learn more about each of the 2015-16 Fellows, click on a name to see the person's full profile with research interests and civic involvements. Click on a title to read the full brief. View the full list of Fellows here.
Marija Bingulac, Boston SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Boston
SSN Key Findings: "Responses to Rising Family Homelessness in Massachusetts"
T. Jameson Brewer, Working Group on K-12 Education SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Student in Educational Policy Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
SSN Basic Facts: "How 'Teach For America' Affects the Training and Effectiveness of Classroom Instructors"
Esther Yoona Cho, Bay Area SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Student in Sociology, University of California, Berkeley
SSN Basic Facts: "How Ethnic Realities Structure the Labor Market Experiences of Undocumented Young Adults"
Patrick Denice, Northwest SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Sociology, University of Washington
SSN Key Findings: "When They Choose Public Schools, What Do Parents Want?"
Allison Dwyer Emory, Finger Lakes SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Sociology, Cornell University
SSN Basic Facts: "What Children Experience when Mothers, Fathers, or Both Parents are Sent to Jail or Prison"
Eric Hansen, National SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
SSN Key Findings: "Why Paying Legislators Higher Salaries Will Not Draw More Blue-Collar Workers into Office"
Harper Haynes, Iowa SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Sociology, University of Iowa
SSN Basic Facts: "Effective Ways to Reduce Disparities in School Discipline"
Isaac Jabola-Carolus, New York City SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Student in Sociology, City University of New York
SSN Basic Facts: "How Participatory Budgeting Strengthens Communities and Improves Local Governance"
Jane Lily López, San Diego SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Sociology, University of California, San Diego
SSN Key Findings: "Why Laws Targeting Non-Citizen Immigrants Affect Citizen Family Members and Associates, Too"
Alexander Lovell, Utah SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Student in Political Science, University of Utah
SSN Basic Facts: "How Rights Movements Can Deal with Backlashes against Supreme Court Decisions"
Markie McBrayer, Texas SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of Houston
SSN Basic Facts: "While California Expands Insurance Coverage, Texas Blocks Health Reform - Despite Greater Needs"
Michael Nau, Ohio SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Sociology, Ohio State University
SSN Key Findings: "Reforming Tax Policy for the Wealthiest One Percent"
Giovanny Pleites-Hernandez, Tennessee SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Student in Political Science, University of Tennessee
SSN Key Findings: "Financial Deregulation, U.S. Party Politics, and Rising Income Inequality"
Celene Reynolds, New Haven SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Sociology, Yale University
SSN Basic Facts: "What We Know - and Need to Learn - about Progress against Sex Discrimination in Higher Education"
Eric Royer, Confluence SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of Missouri-St. Louis
SSN Basic Facts: "How the Ferguson Commission Can Promote Healing and Reconciliation in Metropolitan Saint Louis"
Rachel Schwartz, Madison SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison
SSN Basic Facts: "Confronting Government Corruption in Guatemala and Honduras"
Sierra Smucker, Research Triangle SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Public Policy, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
SSN Basic Facts: "Why the United States Remains Hobbled in Protecting Women from Gun Violence"
Elise Trott, Southwest SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Anthropology, University of New Mexico
SSN Basic Facts: "How New Mexico Policymakers Have Learned from Community Perspectives on Water Management"
Rasheda L. Weaver, New Jersey SSN Graduate Fellow
PhD Candidate in Public Affairs, Rutgers University
SSN Basic Facts: "How to Help Profit-Making Social Enterprises Combat Pressing Social Problems"
Sandy Zook, Atlanta SSN Graduate Fellow
Graduate Research Assistant of Public Management and Policy, Georgia State University
SSN Basic Facts: "Does Starting New Football Programs Help Universities?"