Research Opportunities
Looking for research opportunities? Review the information below for current research opportunities in the sociology department for undergraduate sociology students. Some opportunities may require you to enroll into units, it is recommended to also review the individual study process.
Popular Research Opportunities for Sociology Students:
- Undergraduate Research Website
- Undergraduate Research Opportunities Database
- Koret Scholars
- CARA through Oakes College
- Pathways to Research through EOP
- (H)acer through John R Lewis College
- Building Belonging Program
- American Sociological Association Submissions for Publication
- SOCY 139I Community-Engaged Research, Learning, and Internships - Offered Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters
- SOCY 139T Community-Engaged Research Practicum
- SOCY 196S Senior Seminars
- Sociology Senior Thesis
- Additional opportunities will be added below for the upcoming year as they become available.
2022-23 Opportunities:
Student Research Opportunity with Professor Riley and the Conectados Team
Announcing a new student research opportunity related to Indigenous health in California! The UCSC Conectados team, under the supervision of Alicia Riley, Assistant Professor of Sociology, is recruiting up to two student project assistants to join the Conectados team in 2023. The role will involve project assistance for 10-15 hours per week. Preference will go to students who can commit to the project for the rest of the 2023 calendar year, with the possibility of a break for the summer. The position does not have regular hours, outside of the required weekly or twice a week team meetings. Almost all meetings will take place virtually through Zoom so the student project assistant does not need to be located in Santa Cruz for the duration of employment. Review full details on the position and the Conectados research project.
To apply for this position, please submit: (1) a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position and what qualifications you will bring to the team; and (2) a resume detailing your relevant educational, work, volunteering, or community involvement experiences and skills by email to dariol@ucsc.edu by May 8th at noon.
Please reach out to Darío León at dariol@ucsc.edu with any questions about this position or how to apply.
UPDATE:
Announcing another new student research opportunity related to Indigenous health in California! The UCSC Conectados team, under the supervision of Alicia Riley, Assistant Professor of Sociology, is recruiting up to two Indigenous Summer Fellows to join the Conectados team in Summer 2023. The Indigenous Summer Fellows role is a part-time commitment for 8 weeks during Summer 2023 (from late June to early August) in which fellows will contribute to research project planning and implementation and receive mentorship from faculty, graduate students, and community partners. This opportunity is intended for students who identify as Indigenous.The role does not have regular hours, outside of the required ~twice a week team meetings. Almost all meetings will take place virtually through Zoom so the student project assistant does not need to be located in Santa Cruz for the duration of the fellowship. Please visit this website for the full details on the fellowship and to apply. Applications are due by May 31, 2023.
Please reach out to Darío León at dariol@ucsc.edu with any questions about this fellowship.
Pathways to Research Recruitment
Pathways to Research is recruiting for the 2022-2023 academic year! We are recruiting first-generation, low-income, and transfer students who are interested in graduate school and conducting their own research projects! P2R is a research-mentoring program for EOP first-generation, low-income, and transfer undergraduate students majoring in a social science or humanities discipline. Over the program year, undergraduate mentees receive mentorship from a Ph.D. student on topics spanning the research process and graduate school preparation. Participants also receive a $500 stipend per quarter or $1500 for the whole year.
If you are interested in participating and want to learn more, attend one of the info sessions or apply at https://forms.gle/
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Building Belonging Program
Project title: Farmland Investment in the Mississippi Delta
Description: Farmland investors with roots in the financial sector are currently buying up farmland in the Mississippi Delta. This phenomenon poses a threat to African American farmers in the Delta, many of whom already struggle to access farmland in the face of deep inequalities and systemic discrimination. Our team is studying how this new wave of farmland investment in various ways, including through interviews with Delta farmers, participant observation at farmland-related events in the region, and mapping of investor-owned farm properties.
Two Positions:
- In support of our qualitative data analysis, we need an undergraduate research assistant to help with thematic coding of interviews with Mississippi farmers. Coursework in critical social theory or experience with qualitative social science research would be a plus for this position, but is not required.
- In support of our property mapping, we need an organized and detail-oriented undergraduate research assistant who can follow a protocol to systematically comb through property parcel data for Delta counties, identifying major farmland owning corporations in each county. Spreadsheet and GIS skills are a plus but not required for this position.
Project title: Impacts of Wildfire on Crop Productivity
To apply: contact Elliott Campbell, Professor Environmental Studies, (jojcampb@ucsc.edu), by April 14, 2023.
Review past Research Opportunities in our Archives
