Jane Lopez : Sociologist

Jane Lopez : Sociologist
UC San Diego, PhD in sociology, 2018Oxford, MSc in evidence-Based Social Work, 2006

What I do:

Assistant Professor of Sociology

Why I do it:

I tried working outside of academia (I did some non-profit work as a policy advocate and grantwriter) but kept yearning for the seasons and intellectual stimulation of academia. I love being able to teach and learn every day!

How I got here:

I did a 1-year master’s program right out of Stanford (in Evidence-Based Social Work at Oxford) and then took a 5-year “break” working outside academia. I started my PhD (in Sociology) at UCSD in 2011, graduated in June 2018, and just started at BYU this fall. My time at Stanford—especially in USP—directly influenced my pull toward academic life by providing me with my first experiences researching, writing, and asking big questions.

What my background in Urban Studies has done for me:

Urban studies provided me with a crucial interdisciplinary foundation that has helped me study, evaluate, and address many social issues from many different angles. My intellectual focus has shifted more toward immigration and law—both interdisciplinary fields—and my background in urban studies has helped me feel more comfortable studying and conversing with scholars from many different disciplines and finding commonalities in our work and interests.

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