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Interested in Presenting at the UMass Lowell Gender Studies Conference 2016?

UMass Lowell Gender Studies Conference 2016

Celebrating Gender Studies at UMass Lowell

Conference Date: February 18, 2016

Gender Studies at UMass Lowell has a rich history, with diverse course offerings, committed faculty, and energized students. This one-day event will showcase the scholarship and creative activity of faculty and students working on topics related to gender.

UML Undergraduate Student Research: We also seek presentations of exemplary undergraduate research projects related to gender issues. Students should apply with a faculty sponsor. 

UML Faculty and Graduate Student Research: Would you like a venue to share your work on gender issues? Do you have a conference paper you have already presented that you would like to share with your colleagues and students? Are you in the process of developing a paper or presentation and need a space to discuss it? We invite you to submit an abstract to the Gender Studies conference!

  

Please submit proposals of no more than 250 words for papers, posters, performances, and artworks to http://form.jotform.us/form/52776492398170 by December 15, 2015.   Please include the title of your presentation, as well as your department affiliation. Undergraduate student proposals should indicate a faculty sponsor who will help prepare the student for the presentation. We encourage both individual and group presentations. 

Meet Professor Llewellyn!

Professor Llewellyn offers to students a fresh new look at two areas of study which are common to most in the Sociology Department. Her research lies at the intersection between gender and migration. Her PhD dissertation, "Deciding What Counts as Persecution: An Analysis of Gender and Sexual Orientation Asylum Cases in the United States," addresses disparities in immigration policies which result in barriers for women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender asylum applicants. 

This semester, Professor Lewellyn is teaching Introduction to Sociology, a course in which she looks forward to incorporating her own interests in explanations of larger sociological forces. She engages with students in class through a conversational lecture style with supporting power points. She is excited to interact with students, to help them develop a "sociological imagination," and to serve as a guiding force toward reaching success after college. She hopes to teach new and innovative courses within her specialty and anticipates teaching Sociology of Gender in the future.

Meet Professor Beddoes!

Professor Beddoes brings an exciting new perspective to the Sociology Department. Her PhD is in Science and Technology Studies (STS), an interdisciplinary social science field focused on the relationships among science, technology and society. Professor Beddoes holds certificates in both Women’s and Gender Studies and Engineering Education, and studies engineering from a social science perspective. Her research focuses particularly on understanding women’s underrepresentation in engineering.

This semester, Professor Beddoes is teaching Social Problems. She looks forward to incorporating various teaching styles, such as group discussions and peer teaching. She hopes to instill in students an understanding of, “really big ideas…a lot of which run counter to what we are taught to believe,” while still maintaining a degree of difficulty appropriate for a one-hundred level course. In the future Professor Beddoes will be offering two new courses: Science, Technology and Society and Gender and Engineering. 

Nikki Rivera Takes Over Communications and Outreach!

Hello to all students, alum and faculty,

I am very excited to announce that I've taken over the Communications and Outreach Coordinator position for the Sociology Department! I look forward to connecting with each and every one of you.

My mission for this academic year is to continue to foster a community of togetherness and to promote networking among students, alum and other professionals. Please feel free to reach out to me for any type of support and I will do my best to direct to the best resources.

Nikki Rivera

Dominique Rivera
Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Sociology Department
University of Massachusetts Lowell
DominiqueNikkiRivera@gmail.com

Sociology Department Seeking Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Sociology Department, U Mass Lowell

The Sociology Department is looking for someone to serve as communications and outreach coordinator to continue the fantastic work begun by Jacqueline DiPersio last year. The job is working in the Department offices in Dugan 205 for 7-10 hours a week during the academic year. The primary responsibilities:

1)     Department outreach and publicity

a.      Establish connections with faculty to keep up a steady flow of communication about Department events and other story ideas

b.     Establish relationships with College Communications Director and Web Office to support ongoing work

c.      Maintain Department Facebook page

                                                    i.     Develop story ideas for FB page, conduct interviews, and write stories to post on FB page

                                                  ii.     Maintain activity of FB page by posting stories or relevant links daily or almost daily

                                                iii.     Do outreach to increase Likes/Engagement on FB page

d.     Maintain and further develop Department web page

                                                    i.     Get trained in Website development program

                                                  ii.     Make changes as needed

                                                iii.     Explore adding additional multimedia components

e.      Work with College Communications and Department Chair to develop new print materials for Department outreach

f.      Support the development of networks and community among current students through the creation of a Sociology Club or other mechanisms

2)     Alumni outreach

a.      Support Department efforts to create network of alums through Facebook, events, and other mechanisms

b.     Maintain alum database

c.      Maintain and update list of alums willing to be contacted about careers

We are looking for someone who is a self-starter, a good writer, detail-oriented, and social media savvy. The person also must have excellent in-person communication skills and be able to build relationships with critical people on campus as well as reach out to alums and others to gather information for stories. Creativity is a must, and an understanding and love of our Department is a positive!

If you are interested please contact Department Chair Mignon Duffy at mignon_duffy@uml.edu.

Congratulations to our very own Jacqueline DiPersio!

I recently started a new job as an Outreach and Communications Director for State Representative Linda Campbell of Methuen. My main duties are handling constituent issues within the district, representing my boss at various meetings pertaining to legislature in the State House, attending district events and meetings, and maintaining her social media presence. I also conduct research on legislation and advise the representative on policy creation and policy decisions. By far, the best part of my job is helping out constituents. Before taking this job, I never realized that people call their local representatives with serious issue and that we, the representative and her staff, can play a major role to help. My first case, I was able to help a women increase her food stamp benefits after they were cut significantly.  She was very low on funds and could hardly afford to eat everyday. After many phone calls and emails , we were able to provide proper documentation and reinstate her benefits. There are no words to describe the feeling of being able to help someone out in this way. I was able to make a huge impact in one person's life. Although I just started, I am grateful and excited for this opportunity to help people.

I have found that the world view I developed through studying sociology has helped me excel in this job so far. The perspective I bring to the table is a good balance with the strong political perspectives of my co-workers. The deep compassion and empathy sociologists develop towards others has also proven to be beneficial for this line of work. One thing sociology has taught me is that policy is important in shaping peoples lives.   I am humbled that I can help contribute to the political process to actually help people.