In this alumni apotlight, we catch up with Pui-Yan Yam (’01 PhD sociology) who currently is working as a public sociologist. She is a recipient of the Eva Lassman ‘Take Action Against Hate’ Award, presented by Gonzaga Institute for Hate Studies to honor an individual or organization for doing impactful work to counter hatred in any of […]
In this alumni spotlight, we catch up with Marica Gossard (’04 PhD. sociology) who is using her sociological training in a university setting, but not as an academic. Gossard focused on environmental sociology and communities during her doctoral studies. Today, she is the director of communications and marketing for the College of Veterinary Medicine at WSU, as […]
It’s not clear why, but youths in U.S. states where medical marijuana is legal report more vaping of cannabis than their peers in states where weed is legal for all adults or it is completely illegal. New research found that about 27% of 12th graders in medical marijuana states reported vaping cannabis compared to 19% […]
When brothers Golden and Francis Nephi “Neef” Grigg began renting a frozen foods plant in the tiny Idaho border town of Ontario, Oregon, in 1949, they were hoping to expand their existing frozen corn business to include potatoes. Little did they know they’d taken the first step toward creating Oregon’s prodigal spud: the tater tot. […]
As incarceration rates drop in Washington’s urban and suburban areas, police in rural areas are booking more people into jail often for minor offenses. Lauren Patterson has the story as a professor of sociology at Washington state University Jennifer Schwartz started to notice a pattern in her research: while urban area incarcerations in Washington are […]
A common misperception in the U.S. is that time off needs to be earned, deserved, and sacrificed for. Have you ever felt guilty about taking your (hard-earned) sick or vacation days? If so, you aren’t alone. According to a recent Zippia survey of 214 job seekers, 61.3 percent of Americans feel guilty about taking time […]
A social movements expert says these tactics only convince people who already think climate change is serious. Young activists are taking an eye-catching tactic to demand action on climate change this year — hurling food at famous pieces of art. The activists say they’re trying to stop an oil pipeline, limit fossil fuel use, and wake […]
If women want to lean in to work, they may first want to lie down for a good night’s rest. A Washington State University-led study indicated that sleep quality impacted women’s mood and changed how they felt about advancing in their careers. Meanwhile, men’s aspirations were not impacted by sleep quality. The researchers discovered this […]
The Washington State University Faculty Senate approved a new course designation on Oct. 6 called “Inquiry into Equity and Justice (EQJS)” that will expand the University Common Requirements (UCORE) general education curriculum for the first time in a decade. The new UCORE designation, which will not impact UCORE credits necessary for graduation, goes into effect […]
In 2020, more than 37 million Americans lived in poverty according to new data from the U.S Census Bureau. That’s 3.3 million more than in 2019. But this number doesn’t include those who are above the poverty line and struggling to make a living. According to the Poor People’s Campaign, once low-income families are accounted […]