What kinds of courses do you teach here at SDSM&T?
I teach all of the sociology courses here at SD Mines. My planned upper-level courses for the next two semesters are SOC 492 Health and Society (spring 2019) and SOC 411 Licit and Illicit Drugs (fall 2019). These may be of interest to pre-health students!
What is your research focus? How have you involved
SDSM&T students in your research?
Right now, my research focus has been on experiences in motherhood and mental health outcomes for women in different motherhood experiences. I currently have a paper under review that analyzed differences in psychological distress and life satisfaction among women. I have also recently conducted 31 interviews with double mothers (women who have both biological and stepchildren) and am in the process of data analysis. I worked with a student to transcribe the interviews (and was able to pay her out of a grant I received).
For which pre-health pathways do you advise SDSM&T students?
I advise students going into a variety of health fields, from medical school, physical/occupational therapy school, chiropractic school, dental school, and even public health programs.
Who is your favorite scientist and why are they your favorite?
My favorite scientist is Charlotte Perkins Gilman. While she may not be a scientist in the traditional sense (and I firmly believe that definition should expand), she was innovative and persuasive. Her book Women and Economics (1898) argued for incorporating women into analyses of economic productivity. She wrote about reorganizing housework and childcare and counting them as economic factors. She wrote and published her own periodical for years in the 1910s. She wrote short stories and novels – students might be familiar with The Yellow Wallpaper, a story about a woman driven mad by the dismissals of her health complaints by her doctor. My favorite work of hers, though, is Herland, a novel of a civilization comprised entirely of women discovered by three men. Gilman was a social science phenom, crossing the boundaries between sex/gender, economics, family policy, and healthcare.
What techniques do you use to manage your time and stress
levels?
No one ever feels like they ever fully master managing their time and stress levels, but it is essential to figure out what works for you. For me, I’ve found that lists of tasks (in order of priority) are really useful. I have to write things down or I forget them, so sticky notes are my friend. I am most productive in the mornings so I try to carve out time then. I also try to use physical space to represent tasks that I need to accomplish (piles of papers to grade, papers to read for research, sticky notes of reminders). However, you also have to step away from work, physically and mentally. I like to hike and be outdoors with my family. I like to escape into a show on Netflix (right now its American Horror Story or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend). Good friends to whom you can vent and laugh are a great resource. The trick it to find out what works for you and schedule it like you would any other important thing.
What advice do you have for students struggling to stay
motivated in difficult courses?
For a student in a difficult course, I would remind them first of why they’re in the course in the first place. It is a means to achieve their larger goals. The course is temporary and it may be worth fighting through if it helps the student get where they want to be. Second, I would recommend a study group so students can help push each other forward. Lastly, I would remind the student of the tutoring and supplemental instruction available if grades were a concern of theirs and it was affecting motivation. There are a lot of resources and support available on campus. College is hard. We need to recognize that. But it can also be very enjoyable. Look at a difficult class as a challenge and make plans to conquer it. The view from the top is probably worth it.
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