April 2025
Lynn Hempel shared her insights on religion, politics, and environmentalism in an interview with Inside Climate News.
“I think it’s important to recognize and appreciate how varied Christians are in their views on climate change and the environment and to understand factors shaping these contours,” she said. “At times people treat religion in monolithic and trivializing ways that ignore or dismiss the important faith work people are doing, including work related to the environment.”
Congratulations to Ph.D. student Emilia Ravetta who has received a P.E.O. Scholar Award for 2025-26! P.E.O. awards scholarships to women of the U.S. who are pursuing doctoral-level degrees and have the potential to make significant contributions to their fields and positively impact society.
Emilia’s award will help fund her dissertation research. “My research project focuses on lithium mining in Argentina. I’ll be examining extractivism and resource governance, along with exploring issues of environmental justice related to lithium extraction.”
Sociology's wide array of important and impactful topics was once again showcased during our annual Graduate Student Symposium. Many thanks to the five graduate students who presented their emerging research and to the many faculty, staff, and graduate students who offered feedback.
Azmal Hossan: Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Climate Change Adaptation Struggles in the Northern Great Plains: A Decolonizing Approach
Milagro Nunez-Solis: Food-care-work: The Capacity of a Society to be Sustained, Cared and Nourished
Adam Snitker: Science and Socio-technical imaginaries: Exploring
the Imagined Futures of Agriculture through Scientific Literature
Rebecca Whitten: Sports Participation as a Social Determinant of Athletic Sex Differences
Jessie Xie: “Lie-Flat,” “Political Depression,” and “Go Crazy”:
Covert Resistance and Subjectivity in Chinese Online Discourses
Within just a few weeks, our new Environmental Sociology minor has been added by around five students – the majority from Dr. Jessie Luna's class. The minor is enjoying a warm welcome around campus, too!
"I am a first year studying Ecosystem Science and Sustainability here at CSU. I talked to a woman in the LSC plaza who is part of the Sociology Department in October who mentioned that there would soon be an Environmental Sociology Minor available to take. I am very interested in this!" – Emma
"I will share on our TV display and via email with advisors and faculty to share with students! I'll also confer with the advisors on the popular minor listing (and it seems perfectly aligned and logical)." – Civil & Environmental Engineering
Thanks to ALL hands on deck who've made this new minor possible from its inception to its launch & now beyond!
Wondering what to do with a Sociology degree? Five fabulous alumni returned to campus to share their journeys and advice.
Savanna Bunnell (B.A., ‘17), Senior Community Case Specialist, Larimer County Community Corrections
Michelle Eccellente Stevenson (B.A., ‘92), Artist, Writer, TEDx Speaker, Cultivate Caring Founder, Training & Education
Becca Eman (B.A., M.A., ‘17), Senior Analyst, Colorado, Division of Youth Services
Emily Holcomb, MPH, (B.A., ‘15) Waiver Implementation Specialist, Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Suriya Vijayasarathy, MPH, (B.A., ‘17), Continuous Improvement Specialist, Adams County Health Department
Wondering how your students go forth and utilize their sociological imaginations? Check out this short snippet to hear from (and share a laugh with) Suriya!
Welcome back to campus, Dr. Gabriel!
Dr. Jackie Gabriel (Ph.D. ’16) is an Associate Professor of Sociology & Criminal Justice and Co-Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Western Colorado University. She visited CSU to share her research, “Manufacturing Precarity: From Meatpacking to Grain Processing, American Industries’ Quest for Cheap Labor," and her journey since earning her doctorate from our program.
Dr. Gabriel is a first-generation college graduate and working-class academic. She earned her doctorate in Sociology and a graduate certificate in International Political Economy from CSU.
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