Department faculty and grad student award winners: Drs. Carini and Gast; Cat Alexander, Trisha Douin, and James Joyce

The Department of Sociology is pleased to announce its annual faculty and graduate student award winners. 

First, for the period May, 2020-April 2021, Dr. Bob Carini was recognized as the Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Mentor and Dr. Melanie Gast was recognized as the Outstanding Research Mentor.  

Second, for the 2020-2021 academic year, the following graduate students were recognized for their excellence in teaching, research, and service:

Cat Alexander, a first-year MA student, has received the award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Teaching.  Cat has worked as a discussion section leader for Dr. Mark Austin's SOC 201 course this year, has participated in Grad School's GTA Academy last fall and this spring, and will teach SOC 202 Social Problems this fall for the first time.  

Trisha Douin, a second-year PhD student, has received the award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Research.  Trisha has been engaged in collaborative research work with Drs. Pat Gagné and Christa Moore (a graduate of our PhD program), assisting with a book manuscript and taking a leading role in a content analysis of government websites that serve as entry points to child welfare and advocacy bureaucracies.

James Joyce, a first-year MA student, has received the award for Outstanding Graduate Student in Service.  James's service extends from the department to the state level, serving as an officer with the Sociology Graduate Student Association, assisting the Provost’s Office with data for the UofL Greenhouse Gas Emissions report, and working with the Kentucky Climate Consortium, the Louisville chapter of the Youth Climate Strike, and more.

Congratulations to all of our winners!