Eberly News
WVU researchers envision police as community partners, not adversaries
West Virginia University sociologists James Nolan and Henry Brownstein hope to shift the primary focus of policing from law enforcement activities, such as making arrests and seizing large quantities of guns and drugs, to helping residents create the conditions in their communities where crime and violence are less likely to thrive.
WVU leads global effort in steering the future of oral health through behavioral, social science lens
There’s much more to having healthy teeth and gums than brushing and flossing. Oral health is central to one’s overall health and quality of life. As Daniel McNeil, a clinical health psychologist, puts it, “oral health is a mirror of overall health.”

Death and religion: ‘Excess deaths’ sweep through Amish and Mennonite communities during COVID-19 pandemic
Sunday church service in Amish country is more than just belting out hymns, reading Bible passages and returning home an hour later to catch a football game or nap.

Reminiscing with confidence
Sounds like crickets chirping and the taste of warm buckwheat pancakes can spark the senses of people with dementia — a fact faculty and students at West Virginia University used to develop a way for those people to experience parts of their cultural past and to relieve stress for their caregivers.

Eberly College announces outstanding seniors, teaching assistants and Eberly Scholars
The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences has recognized 64 outstanding seniors, graduate teaching assistants and graduating Eberly Scholars for their academic achievements in 2020-2021.

Meet the May 2021 Grads: Julia Wolf
Meet WVU's first sociology PhD grad, Julia Wolf.

Lessons from the pandemic: What WVU has learned, accomplished and shared in the year of COVID-19
Under the quiet surface of near-stilled campuses over the past year, WVU researchers, faculty and administrators have scrambled to learn more about COVID-19 and mitigate its spread, calculated how to teach online and hybrid classes and figured out how to better ensure people on those campuses could remain safe from the virulent disease that has killed more than 500,000 U. S. citizens to date.

Navigating a new normal: Sara Guthrie
This past year certainly hasn’t turned out to be what anyone expected. Our students have persevered, learning how to study in virtual classrooms and finding new ways to stay connected. We checked in with several students as they shared challenges they’ve faced since the start of the pandemic and advice for others navigating this new normal. Meet sociology PhD student Sara Guthrie.

Eberly College announces 2020-2021 outstanding staff and faculty awards
The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences has named recipients for its 2020-2021 awards for faculty and staff. In total, the Eberly College recognized 11 individuals across four categories for their talent, commitment and service to the College and WVU.

WVU researchers study high-risk populations in low-tech communities
Closed religious communities such as the Amish are high-risk populations for the spread of both infectious diseases and public health misinformation, according to sociologists from West Virginia University who are working with data from Amish and Mennonite settlements to understand the COVID-19-related beliefs and behaviors prevalent within their communities.