Students on the Market
Mingui (Johnny) Gao
Ph.D. Expected: 2027
Dissertation Title: "Functional Equivalents: Religious and Secular Social Engagement and Health Outcomes Among Older Adults"
Dissertation Committee: Dr. Hui Liu (Chair), Dr. Patricia Thomas, Dr. Jacqui Frost, and Dr. Elliot Friedman
Research Interests: Medical Sociology; Aging and the Life Course; Social Relationships; Marriage and Family; Sociology of Religion; Religion and Health; Quantitative Methodology
Teaching Interests: Introduction to Sociology; Medical Sociology; Sociology of Religion
Adam Kotanko
Ph.D. Expected: 2026
Dissertation Title: Conceptualizing and Studying Moral Ambassadors
Dissertation Committee: Dr. Daniel Winchester (chair), Dr. Rachel Einwohner, Dr. Robin Stryker, Dr. Jean Beaman, Dr. Trent Mize
Research Interests: Sociology of Religion; Morality, Emotions, and Identity; Social Movements; Social Stigma; Qualitative Methods
Teaching Interests: Religion; Morality, Altruism, and Solidarity; Emotions; Political Sociology; Qualitative and Community-based Methods; Sociological Theory; Teaching Sociology; Intro and Social Problems
Jinnan (Sigrid) Ren
Ph.D.: 2027
Dissertation Title: Contextualizing Inequality Across the Life Course: Adversity, Safety Contexts, and Health in Later Life
Dissertation Committee: Dr. Shawn Bauldry (chair), Dr. Hui “Cathy” Liu, Dr. Pi-Ju “Marian” Liu, and Dr. Christopher Seto
Research Interests: Medical Sociology; Aging and the Life Course; Social Inequality and Health; Adversity, Victimization, and Safety Contexts; Social Relationships; Quantitative and Computational Methods
Teaching Interests: Introduction to Sociology; Medical Sociology; Sociology of Aging and the Life Course; Quantitative Research Methods and Statistics