CV

Research and Teaching Interests: International Relations and American Politics, with special emphasis on human rights

Dissertation Title: The Impacts of Salience Hate Crimes on Societal Views Toward the LGBTQ+ Community

Dissertation Chair: Dr. Courtney Hillebrecht

About Me: I was raised in Nebraska, and I attended UNL as an undergrad, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Philosophy, before joining the Political Science program as a graduate student. My research interests focus primarily on human rights - specifically I study LGBTQ+ rights and the pursuit of equality by these oftentimes marginalized individuals. The research I conduct relates to the rehumanization of the LGBTQ+ community - meaning, how can issues surrounding the LGBTQ+ community be talked about or brought to light in a manner that encourages positive shifts in public support for this vulnerable population. I believe that political science exists in a unique position where the results of scholarship can be implemented to have genuine, positive impacts upon peoples' lives. I plan to use the skills developed in graduate school to help me pursue a career in LGBTQ+ advocacy. As a researcher, I have been taught in the use of various statistical analysis mediums including SPSS and STATA, as well as the quantitative and qualitative methodological tools associated with their use. As an instructor of record, I have headed political theory courses, a class on state terror, a course on national security, in addition to a plethora of international relations teaching assistantship positions.