Eberly News

Tagged with Sociology
Frannie Kitzmiller

Criminology student named among the nation’s first female Eagle Scouts

Eberly News /

Frannie Kitzmiller, a first-year criminology student and Morgantown native, made history Feb. 4 when she became one of the nation’s first woman Eagle Scouts – a prestigious achievement attained by some of the country’s most noteworthy figures.

Adia Kolb abroad

2020-2021 Eberly Scholars: Adia Kolb

Eberly News /

Meet sociology and women's and gender studies major Adia Kolb.

Rural residents often lack internet access – but how do West Virginians compare? Do West Virginians put off expensive medical care more or less than the average American? A first-of-its-kind survey produced by the Survey Research Center and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University is helping answer questions like these by making statewide socioeconomic data publicly available. The West Virginia Social Survey focuses on the most prevalent challenges faced by West Virginia residents. It will produce state-specific reports on issues like internet access, the economy, health, crime, volunteering, religion and more, which can help inform policymakers. Most social surveys are conducted nationally. A typical random sample of average American adults includes 1,000 to 2,000 individuals from all over the U.S. While these surveys are useful for informing the public about national trends, they are less helpful for learning about specific states, especially those with smaller populations, like West Virginia.

Filling in the blanks

Eberly News /

A first-of-its-kind survey produced by the Survey Research Center and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at WVU is examining the most pressing challenges facing West Virginians by making statewide socioeconomic data publicly available.

WVU’s annual Diversity Week, set for October 11-16, 2020, promotes celebration, education and understanding of different identities and experiences present on our campus. Diversity Week is designed to create an atmosphere that provides the WVU community the opportunity to explore different cultures, engage in discussions that bring new perspectives and celebrate the presence of and contributions made by people of all identities and experiences. Our Eberly College students, faculty and staff are offering several events throughout the week.

WVU announces 2020 Diversity Week events

Eberly News /

WVU’s annual Diversity Week, set for October 11-16, 2020, promotes celebration, education and understanding of different identities and experiences present on our campus. Diversity Week is designed to create an atmosphere that provides the WVU community the opportunity to explore different cultures, engage in discussions that bring new perspectives and celebrate the presence of and contributions made by people of all identities and experiences. Our Eberly College students, faculty and staff are offering several events throughout the week. Learn more about Diversity Week and the events below.

Talia Buchman studying abroad

2020-2021 Eberly Scholars: Talia Buchman

Eberly News /

Meet anthropology student Talia Buchman.

Eberly College announces 2019-2020 outstanding student awards

Eberly News /

Congratulations to our outstanding seniors and graduate assistants for 2019-2020!

A new West Virginia University research collaborative is working to address the many challenging conditions facing the state and Appalachia. In the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative for a Safe and Healthy Society, researchers from a wide range of disciplines are working together with partners across campus to seek solutions to these pressing issues. The collaborative brings together faculty, staff and students who work in communities around the state in areas like community development, substance use prevention and treatment, drug policy, healthcare policy, medical sociology and crime.

Planting seeds for a safe and healthy society

Eberly News /

A new WVU research collaborative is working to address the many challenging conditions facing the state and Appalachia. In the Eberly College's Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative for a Safe and Healthy Society, researchers from a wide range of disciplines are working together with partners across campus to seek solutions to these pressing issues.

With the COVID-19 pandemic upending life as we know it, researchers in West Virginia University’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences are taking quick action to study how people from Appalachia to Europe are responding to the pressure this crisis has placed on their communities.

A rapid research response to COVID-19’s effect on communities

Eberly News /

With the COVID-19 pandemic upending life as we know it, Eberly College researchers are taking quick action to study how people from Appalachia to Europe are responding to the pressure this crisis has placed on their communities.

A group of students, studying everything from criminology to creative writing, are working together to make a difference and find purpose in their careers. A new Social Justice Research Fellowship in West Virginia University’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences is empowering graduate students to connect their research to social justice issues.

Weaving social justice into graduate studies

Eberly News /

A group of students, studying everything from criminology to creative writing, are working together to make a difference and find purpose in their careers.

When concerns are expressed about distrust in science, they often focus on whether the public trusts research findings. A new study from West Virginia University, however, explores a different dimension of trust. Two researchers in WVU’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences examined whether and how frequently researchers misrepresent their research accomplishments when applying for faculty jobs. The research team, led by Associate Professor of Political Science Trisha Phillips and Department of Sociology and Anthropology chair Lynne Cossman, collected all vitae submitted for faculty positions at a large research university for one year. The institution was intentionally unidentified to maintain confidentiality. After reviewing a 10% sample for accuracy, they discovered that of the 180 applicants whose vitae were analyzed, 141, or 78%, claimed to have at least one publication. Of these applicants with publications, 79, or 56%, listed at least one publication that was unverifiable or inaccurate in a self-promoting way.

WVU study reveals falsification issues in higher education hiring processes

Eberly News /

When concerns are expressed about distrust in science, they often focus on whether the public trusts research findings.