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Hannah Baker
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Hannah Baker is working toward her doctorate in the Department of Sociology & Criminology. Her focus is on assessing and developing intimate partner abuse interventions, utilizing insights from countries around the world to do so. Her goals in studying perpetration interventions are to further victim-centered practices and to enhance evaluation methodologies.
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Lovelyn Adaobi Isiani
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Lovelyn Isiani is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Miami. She was born and raised in Nigeria and obtained her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Her primary concentration for her PhD program is in Medical Sociology, with a secondary concentration in Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration. Lovelyn’s research centers on the impact of Malaria on maternal health in the context of urban migration. Her scholarly pursuits seek to uncover the intricate interrelations of socio-economic and cultural determinants contributing to maternal health challenges. Her ultimate objective is to make substantive scholarly contributions that catalyze impactful change by spotlighting and addressing maternal health issues in the global south.
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Michele Mayne
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Michele S. Mayne is a Ph.D. Sociology student at the University of Miami with a concentration in Medical Sociology and Community Health and well-being. Broadly, her research focuses on mental health disparities (e.g., access to treatment), socioeconomic status, substance/illicit drug misuse, and discrimination among vulnerable populations, particularly African Americans/Blacks. Michele is originally from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She earned her BA in Sociology from Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, FL, then later relocated to London, England, to earn an MSc. in Mental Health Studies at King’s College London. Upon her completion, she worked in numerous non-profit mental health organizations in Toronto and Vancouver as a Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Counselor working in community treatment programs. This led her to pursue a doctoral degree in Sociology.
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Daya Meshri
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Daya Meshri is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, specializing in Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration. Her research interests include examining how community services can better satisfy the needs of their targeted community, exploring what it truly means to be community-based, examining issues of colorism and street race, and LGBTQIA+ studies. Daya was born and raised in Oklahoma and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology & Nonprofit Leadership and Management at High Point University. She aspires to create more effective approaches to serving diverse communities by reforming Nonprofit practices and reasoning.
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Betsy Mullins
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Betsy Mullins is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology specializing in criminology. Her research focuses on recidivism, prisoner wages, and legislation to progress prison reform. Betsy is originally from Lexington, Kentucky, and received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Miami majoring in sociology, political science, and Spanish.
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Marii Paliienko
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Marii Paliienko is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology with a focus on criminology, cybercrime, and international crime trends. She is particularly interested in the intersection of alcohol consumption and homicide rates, as well as criminal activities on the Darknet. Marii uses a multidisciplinary approach to explore these topics, employing both quantitative and qualitative research methods. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and her Master’s degree at the University of Miami. Her Master’s thesis was a macro-level cross-national study analyzing the relationship between alcohol consumption and homicide rates. Her current research delves into criminal activities on the Darknet, with a special focus on Russian-speaking communities.
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Maria Victoria Ramirez
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Maria-Victoria Upegui Ramirez is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, specializing in Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration. Originally from Medellín, Colombia, and raised in Miami, Florida, and Elizabeth, New Jersey, she brings a multidimensional perspective to her work. Her current research examines sociopolitical attitudes among Latine communities in South Florida, with specific interests in Latinidad, mestizaje, cultural identity, assimilation, and the role of religion in political and social decision-making. More broadly, her work engages issues of human rights and cross-cultural relations.
Maria-Victoria earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing/Advertising from Florida Atlantic University. She also holds a Certificate in Educational Leadership from St. Thomas University and a Certificate in Modern Languages Teaching from the University of Granada in Spain. Ultimately, she aims for her scholarship to help inform social reform across the fields of education and public policy.
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Jennifer Rogers
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Jennifer Rogers is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, specializing in Criminology and Medical Sociology. Her broad interests include gender and sexuality, inequality, and health disparities. Her current projects focus on analyzing socioeconomic factors in opioid overdose deaths, behaviors of urban drivers, and factors and trends in women’s incarcerations over time. Formerly from Georgia, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Dalton State College, complemented by a minor in Psychology.
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Trey Santorine
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Born and raised in West Virginia, Trey did his undergraduate degree at WVU, studying English & French Literature. After graduating, he moved to Florida and studied sociology at Florida Atlantic University for his master's degree before starting at the University of Miami with concentrations in medical sociology and criminology. His research focuses on substance use, treatment, social services, urbanization, and homelessness. On the weekend he likes to cycle, or can be found going to the beach or enjoying the Miami nightlife.
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Jacob Silva
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Jacob Silva is a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami’s Department of Sociology & Criminology, primarily specializing in Criminology. Broadly, his research interests revolve around victimology, violent crime, drug abuse, trauma, mental health, and sociodemographic factors. Jacob seeks to understand various questions including, but not limited to: Psychological responses experienced by crime victims and how these responses may manifest differently based on crime category; maladaptive coping mechanisms such as drug abuse which may arise due to victimization or other forms of trauma; how biology, psychology, and socialization play roles in the manifestation of deviant behavior; and, how sociodemographic factors such as race, class, and gender play roles in experiences with crime and the criminal justice system. He is particularly interested in how these issues can be addressed through program evaluation and public policy. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Jacob received his undergraduate education at St. Mary’s University where he was a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Psychology as well as a certificate in Community-Based Assessment and Evaluation.
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Taylor Sumpter
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Curriculum Vitae
Taylor Sumpter is a PhD student at the University of Miami, Department of Sociology and Criminology. She is a native New Yorker who was born and raised in The Bronx. Her undergraduate degrees were awarded from CUNY Hunter College in Sociology and Africana and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies. Taylor's doctoral research focuses on criminology and medical sociology with an emphasis on racial disparities within institutions of healthcare and the justice system, specifically treatment of racialized crime, drug use, and medical care. She is a former Ronald E. McNair Scholar and Big ten Academic Alliance SROP Scholar. Taylor is currently honored with a prestigious fellowship, bestowed by the Florida Educational Fund (FEF), the McKnight Doctoral Fellowship (2021-Present). She endeavors to improve knowledge about structural inequality and promote equitable and sustainable race relations through education as a practice of freedom and self-actualized praxis.
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