October 2025
Congratulations to Dr. Pat Hastings and Ph.D. student Amber Obermaier on their new article published by Social Psychology Quarterly. Their research uncovers fascinating insights into what shapes people's childhood memories and how survey methodology may be affected.
đ What did they find?
When the same individuals were asked about their childhood income rank three separate times, a surprising 56% changed their answers.
đ§ Even more surprising?
These shifts werenât linked to changes in current income, but rather to changes in subjective indicators of social statusâlike financial satisfaction. These patterns were significantly stronger in men than women, suggesting that recall bias around childhood income rank might be more influenced by present-day experiences for males.
Three cheers for faculty-student collaborations!
The highly-regarded French journal Alternatives Ăconomiques reached out to Dr. KuoRay Mao seeking his expertise in green criminology, specifically in regards to Chinaâs environmental strategies and what the trajectory could mean for worldwide sustainability.
In the journalâs article âIs China really becoming an ecological country?â Dr. Mao shares valuable insight on how China's model of sustainability is shaping global environmental discussions and influencing other nations, particularly where democratic governance is weak or absent.
The full article is available here. (To know KuoRay is to know his vast knowledge, unparalleled analytical abilities, and masterful cross-cultural engagement transcend paywalls and translations. If you haven't yet crossed paths with Dr. Mao or are not able to access the article, trust us â heâs exceptional!)
CSU SOC superstar Anne Uhlman defended her dissertation, âSources of Care in Systems of Control: Understanding the Perspectives and Experiences of Those Supporting Loved Ones in Community Corrections,â at 10am on a Monday morning, then took us on a deeper dive into her research that same afternoon. When her Sociology-in-Progress (SiP) talk began at 2pm, she was introduced as Dr. Uhlman! Â
Anne had multiple job offers earlier this fall, and in September she began working as the Director of Research atâŻOklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
Congratulations to Mark Samolej for being selected as one of just 100 young leaders in the United States to receive the prestigious Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service â the Voyager Scholarship.
Mark is a third-year restoration ecology student minoring in environmental sociology. He plans to use the scholarship to restore native ecosystems while addressing environmental justice issues faced by surrounding communities.
âMark joined our new environmental sociology minor last year, after taking SOC 220 with me. Mark was a true joy to have in class, as it was clear that he isnât at CSU just to get a degree, but to expand his understanding of the world so he can make a difference,â explains Dr. Jessie Luna, Associate Professor of Sociology. âMark is a restoration ecology major, but he is deeply concerned about the intersections of environmental problems and social inequalities. Weâre so glad to have him in environmental sociology!â
Dr. Jessie Harney kindly presented her research âInvesting in Correctional Officer Well-Being & Implications for System Changeâ as part of this fallâs Sociology-in-Progress series.
CSU's Department of Political Science generously co-sponsored this event â thanks to all who attended from both departments!
Dr. Harney is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Administration and began teaching criminology and criminal justice for us this fall.
Jason Downingâs SOC 380: Drugs in U.S. Society students enjoyed talking with Dr. Jeremy Dubin who has been working with Colorado lawmakers on statewide efforts around addiction and dependency. Learn more here. Jason has additional speakers lined up this fall â stay tuned!
Pat Hastings launched his and Amber Obermaier's findings into the blusky (world) â a platform we've recently joined as well.
Please continue to submit your news and events to Sociology's Communications Coordinator. Thank you!