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By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - March 5, 2025

Starting in spring term 2025, the School of Public Policy will be offering a new baccalaureate core course online via Ecampus, titled Science and Technology in a Social Context (SOC 456). Last offered in 2018, the updated curriculum will introduce students to sociological dimensions to technology.

“Science and technology play a tremendous role in shaping modern society,” said Professor of Sociology and Public Policy Dr. Hilary Boudet, co-instructor of the course. “Technology, particularly A.I., is developing rapidly in front of our eyes and is now touching people on a personal, everyday basis. This was the perfect time to re-develop the course and have a social science component to explore technology’s connections through society”

The 4-credit course features research and interviews with scholars from multiple disciplines at OSU on topics covering new media, artificial intelligence, philosophy, race, gender, energy production, and environmental policy. The goal is for students to build an interdisciplinary understanding of technology’s societal implications, apply new concepts to emerging issues, and analyze the impact of techno-science on society. 

“Though the course is housed in the School of Public Policy, we welcome student perspectives and contributions from a variety of academic backgrounds,” said Waseq Billah, Ph.D. student and co-instructor with Boudet. “Students will learn the social implications of innovations and we hope each student will bring something to the table in terms of their own personal experiences or technical knowledge about science and technology.”

A special contributor to the course is Dr. Ruha Benjamin, the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. Benjamin, who specializes in the interdisciplinary study of science, medicine, and technology, will cover the diversity, equity, and inclusion-perspective of the course and how our inherent biases influence technological development.

“We’re very fortunate to have had Dr. Benjamin sit down with us for an interview for the class,” said Boudet. “She brings such a unique perspective as a scholar exploring the relationship between innovation and social inequity, which will complement the other topics perfectly.”

Science and Technology in a Social Context (SOC 456) will begin to be offered via Ecampus during spring term, starting in 2025.

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Wren Nguyen

By Katie Livermore, CLA Student Writer - March 12, 2025

Wren Nguyen already envisioned their career as a clinical psychologist for queer, BIPOC youth in middle school. Now, they are almost to the finish line in their psychology studies, broadening their focus to more than just therapy: they also have a strong desire to give back.

Nguyen’s parents immigrated near the St. Johns neighborhood of Portland, where Nguyen was also born and raised. The grammar school they attended was mainly comprised of students from a lower to middle class community, but it wasn’t until Nguyen attended an all-girl’s Catholic high school when they  began to notice things change. 

“I mean, in middle school, I for sure started feeling like, ‘oh, I'm like, one of three Asian people here, and one is my cousin,” Nguyen said. “My high school's dynamics were really very interesting. All of the affinity groups really had to fight to get their things up and running.”

Affinity groups including the Asian Pacific Islander Club–of which Nguyen was co-lead and outreach coordinator–at their high school pressured the school to do more to support them. The groups began what the school now calls “UNITE Day” to bring attention to modern-day issues facing minority students.

During Nguyen’s senior year, COVID-19 swept the nation and so did the movement #StopAsianHate. Nguyen and the rest of API Club met via Zoom, creating a space for serious conversations and a positive escape from the wary world outside. 

Upon graduation, Nguyen moved to Corvallis to attend Oregon State University as a psychology major. Now a fourth-year student, Nguyen has stuck by their studies.

“I was always really interested in learning about the way people would interact with the world and with each other, why people think the way that they do,” Nguyen said. “Psychology in general felt really good for that.”

Nguyen recognized through their studies that therapy for youth was inaccessible, filled with obstacles at every corner–especially when it came to personal identity. As a queer, BIPOC individual, Nguyen found the difficulties even greater. Even more so, attending a private Catholic high school growing up, Nguyen saw the need for therapy starting at a young age.

“I've had the privilege to be able to go to therapy early on,” Nguyen said. “My entire friend group eventually came out, but there was only one of us who was out while in middle school, and that experience was not great for them. This is a population that I feel like really needs some extra love. I have a really strong feeling of obligation to give back.”

Throughout their three years at the School of Psychological Science, a few of Nguyen’s favorite classes have been Social Psychology (PSY 360) and Language Acquisition (PSY 458). 

They particularly appreciate teachings from Patricia Sakurai, associate professor in the School of Language, Culture, and Society's ethnic studies department, Jacqueline Goldman, Juan Hu, and Steven Sanders, professors in the School of Psychological Science. 

Outside of class, Nguyen would visit Dr. Goldman’s office hours. A few conversations led to Nguyen joining the Motivation and Engagement for Student Success Lab (M.E.S.S.) for the past year. 

“We were working on a project that had started and all the data had already been collected,” Nguyen said. “Rather than making a student care about a subject, we're asking whether participating in this intervention (that encourages students to make connections in their lives and hopefully care more about the subject) actually improves their performance in these classes.”

The M.E.S.S. Lab focused on two groups of students, both who watched the same educational video. One group was required to write one thing they found interesting about the video; the other group was told to write how the video connected to their lives.

“(The lab) was supposed to inspire people to make connections to a subject and encourage more critical thinking about how statistics or research methods apply to their life, which theoretically would make them perform better.”

Though the lab is no longer running, Nguyen was invited to present research at the Western Psychological Association Conference in San Francisco last spring term. It was Nguyen’s first conference and they were nervous and excited all at once.

“It was such an incredible experience,” Nguyen said. “I’m really glad I got to go.”

Another life-changing experience for Nguyen has been working at the Academic Success Center at OSU. So far, Nguyen has worked for two years as a coach and is heading into their fourth term as a strategist. 

“Interacting with students, being able to build those really deep interpersonal connections with them, I feel like that is the stuff that excites me the most about doing therapy and clinical practice and being one-on-one with people,” Nguyen said. “But I've also learned that it's so incredibly draining, so exhausting. So there's been lots of learning that has been happening.”

However draining the work can be, Nguyen looks toward the bright side; their favorite part is seeing how students grow and succeed in school. These interactions fill Nguyen back up and remind them why they’re there in the first place.

Last year, the Academic Success Center organized the very first Peer Educator Conference, which brings university-wide peer educators together in one place. 

“We were noticing that there are so many peer educator groups across campus and we're all so disconnected,” Nguyen said. “There are so many skills that we can learn from each other and connect with and also just bask in the fact that we're student employees.”

Looking ahead at the future, Nguyen is setting their sights on graduate school. 

“If I still wanted to go along with the clinical route, there's a graduate program at Portland State University for Master of Social Work so that I could become a licensed clinical social worker,” Nguyen said. 

Nguyen is now considering applying to the Master of Counseling programs at OSU (Cascades and hybrid with Ecampus & Corvallis) for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program or School Counseling Program.

The power–and excitement–of psychology still intrigues Nguyen. In the end, they just want to help make a positive difference in the lives of others.

“If I can help other people do what they love and be better individuals, what more can you ask for, really?”

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Sophie Peterson

By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - March 12, 2025

Sophie Peterson, ‘18, grew up in SW Portland to a family of Beavers. After a solo visit to OSU with some friends from high school during her junior year, she would follow the footsteps of many other members of her family. Always a “doodler” and an active member of her high school’s yearbook class, Peterson also knew she wanted to pursue graphic design. 

“I just loved the beauty of campus and the small town vibe of Corvallis,” said Peterson. “I also knew CLA’s graphic design program was going to be the right fit for me to help further my design skills.” 

When arriving at OSU, Peterson loved the small cohort of students in the graphic design program, as well as faculty and instructors, all who created a welcoming and supportive environment. Some of Peterson’s favorite classes included Typography (GD 327) with Associate Professor Jun Bum Shin, Professional Practices (GD 420) with Sr. Instructor Christine Gallagher, and Digital Illustration (DSGN 281) with Sr. Instructor Marianne Dickson. Peterson explained that the most valuable skill she learned as part of the program was how to accept and interpret critique from faculty and peers. 

“In this profession, it’s so important to take critique well and understand how to thoughtfully respond,” explained Peterson. “The professors fostered a humble atmosphere that allowed for me to figure out how to separate myself from critique and come to a productive solution.”

Peterson wanted to stay in Corvallis after graduating, so she began working as a graphic designer for Stahlbush Island Farms, a small, family-owned, sustainable farm that specializes in artisan purees and frozen fruits and vegetables. Peterson worked on designing their packaging and creating photography and videography content for Stahlbush’s social media channels.  

“I was a one-person team who was busy all the time,” said Peterson. “But to get a job like this fresh out of school was incredibly helpful to building my confidence and skill-level. I learned so many new things, not just in design, but also in content creation and time management.”

After a few years, Peterson and her partner were looking to move on from Corvallis and experience living in a city. Peterson landed her “dream job” working for Whole Foods at their headquarters in Austin, Texas, in a more production-based role. Peterson worked on marketing projects behind the scenes, helping to oversee the design and implementation of graphics used in stores.

“Working at a well-known, corporate company like Whole Foods, I felt that I had finally ‘made it’ as a designer,” said Peterson. “There was a small transition period of me trying to understand corporate structure and identity, coming from working at a small family farm, but I felt that I was able to pick it up quickly. Both jobs gave me such unique perspectives.”

Peterson’s time at Whole Foods was cut short due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. In the latter part of 2020, Whole Foods laid off many of its corporate employees. Unfortunately, Peterson was one of them and found herself unemployed for over six months.

After living in Texas during the initial years of the COVID-19 Pandemic (and surviving the 2021 Texas ice storm), Peterson and her partner moved back to Portland to be closer to family. Peterson began looking for a mission-driven organization that she could join, not necessarily focusing on higher education. Then, a role at University or Portland supporting the college’s marketing department opened up; she applied and began working as a visual designer in their Marketing & Web Services Department.

A majority of Peterson’s role at UP is designing printed materials for the admissions department, including brochures, magazines, SWAG, and supporting materials for events and reunions. She helped to design UP's environmental campaign at Portland International Airport and is currently a part of the effort to refresh UP’s brand identity, something she’d learned to do while a student in OSU’s graphic design program. Perhaps most impactfully, Peterson is able to incorporate her illustration work into UP's marketing materials.

“This position feels the most ‘me’ I’ve ever had,” explained Peterson. “It’s a great balance of production and creative work. It took a few years after graduating to discover that I’m not the person for a super small company or giant corporate entity. Working with my small-but-mighty mid-size marketing team, where we all collaborate and work in coordination, is the perfect fit.”

In 2024, Peterson and her team earned nine awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education for their excellence in design, including one for her illustrations in UP’s admissions materials.

“If you're looking to become a millionaire, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend graphic design,” joked Peterson. “But if you want to have fun and stretch your creative muscles in interesting ways, then I would say graphic design is for you. The best part is that as a graphic designer, you’re not tied to one specific industry. My experience has shown me that, but as long as you’re passionate about your work, go for it!”

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Ryan McCabe

By Quinn Keller, CLA Student Writer - March 3, 2025

Ryan McCabe, a political science and applied journalism undergraduate student, grew up with policymaking in his backyard. A resident of Washington’s state capitol, Olympia, both of his parents worked in government-related jobs. But McCabe’s interest in policy making stems from a motivation to improve people’s well being.

“I’m looking to better understand how and why public policy is crafted and implemented,” explained McCabe. “Then, using that knowledge, I want to use my voice, or writing, to inform the wider public.” 

In high school, McCabe enrolled in the Washington State Legislature’s Page Program, which places students in Senate or House legislative offices to learn more about the legislative process. McCabe interned with (former) State Senator Dean Takko, representing District 19 (SW Washington).

“I was more or less a ‘paper pusher’, however, seeing the inner workings of the legislature was captivating,” said McCabe. “In addition to attending senate sessions and listening in on debate, the day-to-day operations of policy making, working to improve the livelihoods of SW Washington’s residents, was fascinating.”

McCabe chose OSU, but OSU also chose McCabe. Recruited to row, McCabe was also looking to stay in the Pacific Northwest, hoping to continue to explore its pristine beauty and participate in outdoor sports, particularly mountain biking. Now, in his sophomore year, McCabe rows in both four and eight-man boats. During his high school club rowing career with Olympia Area Rowing, the COVID-19 Pandemic forced rowers into individual boats, which was new to him. 

“The teamwork aspect of rowing disappeared overnight” explained McCabe. “I slowly began to learn to love other aspects of the sport. When you're in the single by yourself, I learned how I could push myself physically. Then it became an obsession with trying to push myself to be better, to set goals and achieve them. The ability to say, ‘I want to go this time at this race,’ and then work hard for it and then execute it at a race is the best feeling ever.”

As part of the School of Public Policy and School of Writing, Literature, and Film, McCabe’s political science major (focused on international relations) and applied journalism minor puts him a position to choose his own adventure after graduating, but for right now, he’s focused on balancing his studies with rowing, in addition to working for The Daily Barometer. 

“I try to compartmentalize everything,” he explained. “I see rowing as a weird form of therapy. I can rip my heart out on the water. When I'm rowing, I don't think about school. When I'm at school, I don't think about rowing. When I’m at practice, I focus on practice. When I'm at school, I'm thinking about school and when I'm at work, I'm thinking about work.” 

For the future, McCabe is considering law school, the foreign service, or becoming a journalist. Planning to study abroad in Germany, McCabe looks to focus on the issue of climate change in whatever field he chooses to enter. 

“Climate change is the issue of our time,” said McCabe. “I want the U.S. to be a leader in finding ways to combat climate change, as well as dispel misinformation and create a more educated and compassionate world.”

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Danlu Yang

By Taylor Pedersen, CLA Student Writer - March 5, 2025

For Danlu Yang, language is more than words—it is a gateway to understanding different cultures and bridging divides. Born and raised in China, she pursued Hispanic philology at an international university in Beijing, studying the Spanish language, literature, and culture. During her studies, she also learned Brazilian Portuguese, a skill that would later shape her career.

For her master’s thesis, Yang focused on studying the Sino-Portuguese translation project  From the Soil (Xiangtu Zhongguo 乡⼟中国), a 1938 book by Fei Xiaotong that examines Chinese rural society. She discovered that scholars believed the existing translations and interpretations had missed key cultural nuances, particularly when portraying rural Chinese farms. However, rather than translating the book, she facilitated communication between Portuguese and Chinese publishers, applied for grants, translated the contracts, and bridged the interdisciplinary gap between humanities and social sciences.

“Translation can sometimes be a battlefield,” said Yang. "If you fail to grasp the political and socioeconomic context of the original author, your translation is incomplete. In bridging communication between diverse stakeholders, I became the connective thread uniting different communities," Yang explained.

In 2022, she left China for OSU, where she began working as a research assistant for Associate Professor of Anthropology Shaozeng Zhang. Her role required her to conduct interviews in Chinese, Spanish, and Portuguese, apply for grants, and translate contracts between Chinese and Portuguese. Through this work, she developed a deep appreciation for anthropology. The discipline, she realized, allowed her to explore how communication—or the lack of it—shapes societal structures, particularly in healthcare.

“Medical interpretation is a combination of art and science. You have the flexibility to interpret what others are trying to say, but also the scientific aptitude to ensure accuracy. You become the mouth of somebody else.”

This realization inspired her to pursue a Ph.D. in medical anthropology, with the goal of improving healthcare service and delivery in Oregon. Rather than working as an interpreter, Yang envisions a role in health management and policy, addressing systemic barriers that hinder effective communication between medical professionals and patients.

Yang’s research focuses on bridging the gap between biomedical knowledge and patient care, particularly for non-English-speaking communities. She believes Oregon has made strides in linguistic justice—ensuring that medical services are accessible to immigrants—but sees room for improvement.

“I hope they create a cost-effective analysis of the whole program,” she said. “There needs to be better funding for medical interpreters. Right now, interpreters are underpaid and undervalued, which results in low-quality interpretation. If we don’t address this, the entire healthcare system suffers.”

As a multilingual researcher, Yang has encountered both opportunities and challenges in cross-cultural contexts. The biggest struggle, she says, is reconciling her expectations of how the world should be with what is realistically possible. “I used to think about what the world should be,” she reflected. “Now I focus on what I can do with my abilities. How can I help others with the skills I have? The most difficult thing is navigating societal expectations as an individual.”

For students considering a similar path, Yang offers a refreshingly unfiltered perspective: “I have no advice. Everyone has their own path, shaped by their background, appearance, and social class. Just do your best and try to stay positive. I believe the world is a good place for everyone to live, and there are resources for everyone to thrive.”

As she continues her Ph.D. journey in the School of Language, Culture, and Society, Yang remains committed to her mission of improving healthcare accessibility. Whether through linguistic justice, policy advocacy, or cultural competency training, she hopes to make a lasting impact on how medical care is delivered to Oregon’s diverse communities.

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Patrick Conraads

By Ellie Webb-Bowen, CLA Student Writer - February 26, 2025

Patrick Conraads, a Ph.D. student from Sheridan, Wyoming, is in the History and Philosophy of Science program at the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), studying tactical nuclear weapons development between 1945 and 1955.

Cold War politics wasn’t always at the top of Conraads’ mind. As an undergraduate student at the University of Wyoming (UW), he was particularly interested in American cultural history, specifically the 1920s and 1930s Harlem Renaissance in Manhattan, New York. After completing his bachelor's degree, Conraads was encouraged to pursue a master's degree by the history department at UW. When Patrick arrived at graduate school, his interest shifted toward political history. 

"It was interesting to look at how the Harlem Renaissance shaped American life,” said Conraads. “But during my master’s program at UW was when I dove into how the Cold War shaped international relations and the way American politics work today.”

It was a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and subsequent worsening conditions in 2018 that partially informed Conraads intention to enroll in CLA’s History and Philosophy of Science Ph.D. program. His interest in the Cold War never waned, but future career plans changed. Originally intending to go into archival work, Conraads mobility issues declined. He decided to pursue a career in education and teaching after earning his Ph.D.

Conraads’ interest in Cold War history led him down a winding path that has culminated in military history. He was always fascinated by the hold that nuclear technology and atomic bombs had on American culture in the Cold War, but once he read books by nuclear historians like OSU’s Dr. Jacob Hamblin, he knew that he wanted to study atomic weapons. He describes that he was  “amazed to learn how little was known early on in the Cold War about radioactive fallout and the ways it could harm humans,” and subsequently wanted to learn more about America’s nuclear weapons tests in Nevada. Between the expertise of Dr. Hamblin and the vast nuclear archives at OSU, he says that Oregon State seemed like the most logical place to explore these topics. 

"I wanted to look at  what military leaders knew about atomic bombs in the early days of the Cold War and what they could have reasonably known based on existing information at the time,”  explained Conraads.  “SCARC [Special Collections Archive and Research Center] has a lot of great material,” he continued, “and now that I am done with coursework for my degree, I am excited to dive into it.” 

Conraads plans to write his dissertation about how the U.S. Department of Defense (D.O.D.) sought to psychologically prepare soldiers to share the battlefield with tactical nuclear weapons. 

"The Truman and Eisenhower administrations had a dark theory of mutually assured destruction," Conraads detailed. "Part of what I want to do is reconstruct what tactical nuclear warfare would have looked like, because if some of the more vocal leaders in the D.O.D. had gotten their wishes, they would have been dropping nuclear weapons up to half the size used on Hiroshima, which would have shaped the world we live in today in a completely different manner." 

During this time, military testing programs of tactical nuclear weapons failed to consider the health risks associated with radioactive fallout, including  placing soldiers in trenches 10 kilometers or less from detonation sites and having them conduct simulated warfare drills nearby where the bomb was detonated . 

"There's this tremendous irony,” Conraads explained, “that In the effort to protect Americans by building the bombs, all the government actually did was  cause more harm to its own citizens than it ever did to the Soviet Union.”

The focus of his degree and the research done on nuclear weapons development and testing has paid early dividends for Conraads, as he was hired as an intern with the Air Force Research Lab to help construct a history of the Air Force’s involvement with nuclear weapons development and testing. He is excited for this opportunity, describing it as “an opportunity to serve in some small way while also exploring some zany concepts like a nuclear-powered airplane.”

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Dr. Kirsten Hextrum

February 19, 2025

President Trump signed an executive order on February 5, aimed at prohibiting transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports, whereby schools that choose not to comply could lose federal funding. The next day, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) followed suit by barring transgender women from competing in NCAA events. Both policies are likely to have a significant impact on the university sporting landscape and perception of women’s sports.

Though, it’s not as straightforward as it seems, says Kirsten Hextrum, assistant professor in the School of Language, Culture, and Society, who uses critical theories to examine college-going opportunities for underrepresented students. Here, Hextrum, author of Special Admission: How college sports recruitment favors white suburban athletes, discusses the recent executive orders, who they affect, what they mean for student-athletes, and how her recent research on public opinions about transgender athletes’ rights paint a different picture.

How do you interpret the latest news from the Trump Administration and NCAA about excluding transgender student-athletes from women’s sports?

The Trump Administration’s actions are the latest and most severe in a broader anti-trans movement to prohibit the very small number of trans girls and trans women from playing sports. It’s important to recognize that banning trans girls and trans women from playing is explicitly anti-trans and targets expressly those communities. But they also are born out of preserving a binary, hierarchical gender order, and have broad sweeping impacts on gender non-binary individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, cisgender girls/women who are masculine presenting, and girls and women generally. And, that girls/women of color and from low-income communities will be the most harmed by these policies. The long-history of sex-segregated sports, gender policing, and sex-testing are all interrelated and disproportionately place more scrutiny on girls/women to “prove” their gender status than on men. These policies and practices scrutinize any girl/woman whose athleticism encroaches on male performance, effectively placing a ceiling on what we believe girls/women capable of. In contrast, no limit is placed on what boys/men can do. We also know these policies do little to keep girls/women safe and are more about protecting and preserving the gender order and associated male hierarchies. 

What do you believe the broader effects of these policies will be?

Research has also found that the mere existence of such policies have a chilling effect on girls/women’s sports participation, especially for those who may be trans, gender questioning, non-binary, or masculine presenting (Fischer and McClearen, 2020; Phipps, 2021). They report being fearful of scrutiny, surveillance, and hostile team climates, all of which push them out of sport (Fischer and McClearen, 2020; Phipps, 2021). These findings are particularly troubling, considering girls/women still have about 1.1 fewer participation opportunities than boys/men across our youth sports (Hextrum et al., 2024).

The NCAA’s actions are particularly shameful as they are choosing to opt into the Trump Administration’s broader anti-trans attack. The NCAA already had strict and robust policies regarding trans-athlete participation. They did not need to take this step further, and doing so, is a direct violation of their purported values around increasing opportunities for women to play, and diversity and inclusion, more broadly. 

What are the next steps for the NCAA here?

Of major concern, is that the NCAA released this new policy and has yet to detail their surveillance and enforcement mechanisms. How will they verify someone’s sex-assigned at birth? What kind of data will they collect, how will this be protected, and who will oversee enforcement? Like the Trump Administration’s suggestion, do they plan to set up a reporting line for people to “out” possible trans women playing for women’s teams? How will these practices disrupt team dynamics and communities? There are real and harmful consequences to their swift action that, it seems, they have yet to account for.

We know that these policies do little to end the actual perpetrators of violence in women’s sports. Research, along with high-profile public scandals such as Larry Nasser’s actions as trainer at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, continually shows that cisgender men in positions of power and authority, not trans women, are far and away the largest perpetrators of violence against women. And, that girls and women generally still face higher rates of gender based violence in sport than boys/men. Sports organizations often dismiss or choose not to investigate claims of sexual abuse, violence, and harassment in girls/women’s teams, and have even retained and promoted coaches and leaders with credible claims against them (Fasting, 2015; Parent and Fortier, 2018; Owton and Sparkes, 2017). The lack of actions on these real issues shows where these organizations priorities actually lay. 

The Trump Administration used transgender athletes as a key theme of his election  campaign. What does your research – with Chris Knoester of The Ohio State University – show in terms of public opinion of transgender student-athletes participating in collegiate sports?

Our first wave of research examined public opinions in 2018, prior to this broader polarization of trans-athletes, around a range of gender and sport issues. We  found that those who were generally against trans women playing sports were also more likely to hold stereotypical views of gender, support the notion of separate sphere, and felt that women athletes deserved fewer resources, attention, and media coverage than men’s athletes. These findings indicate that political movements and policies stating they are in the interest of supporting women’s sports are more about containing girls/women into separate and subordinated athletic worlds. Our findings also revealed that, overall, Americans were favorable of trans-athlete participation and supported their competition with accommodations and limits. This was a hopeful insight, showing that these policies may be broadly unpopular. However, much has changed in the intervening years and the Republican Party has effectively weaponized and politicized trans communities. Our research is on-going and we recently collected another wave of opinions from the same people in the year 2024. We are interested to see how opinions on trans-athlete participation may have changed in the intervening years as the issues have become more politicized. 

What are universities and policymakers doing to respond to these exclusions of transgender student-athletes?

I have yet to see an organized and coordinated response from universities to oppose the NCAA’s actions, but there are some fractured efforts to mobilize a response. The President of the North American Sociology for the Study of Sport (NASSS), Dr. Travers, emailed all members (I am one!) encouraging us to write letters opposing the ban to the NCAA.

Dr. Travers also shared these resources and responses that we can engage with to support trans athletes:

• a response from Athlete Ally;
• an essay by Bear Bergman about how to support trans and non-binary people; 
• and Dean Spade's Mutual Aid.

Is there anything that you would like to personally share on the topic? 

As a former DI college athlete, I am deeply aware of the pressures and anxieties women athletes face every day in competing in their sports. We do so with less resources, support, and public interest, and often encounter implicit and explicit sexism as we pour countless hours into our sport and push our bodies to their physical limits. Within these organizational conditions of scarcity, it's easy to look inward and blame an easy target for the struggles we face, as we’ve seen other high-profile women athletes do. But I encourage all women-identifying athletes to not take this route and try to keep a bigger and broader perspective. These most recent attacks will not make our sports safer, more accessible, or more resourced. They will instead push competent athletes out, reinforce vulgar gender norms, and stymie the progress we’ve been fighting for over generations. Instead, keep our fight targeted toward expanding opportunities and resources, not restricting them.

Sources cited:

Fasting K (2015) Assessing the Sociology of Sport: On Sexual Harassment Research and Policy. International Review for the Sociology of Sport 50(4–5): 437–441.

Fischer M and McClearen J (2020) Transgender Athletes and the Queer Art of Athletic Failure. Communication & Sport 8(2): 147–167.

Kirsten Hextrum, Chris Knoester & James Tompsett (2024) Inequalities in Girls’ High School Sports Participation: How Social Class, Race/Ethnicity, and Gender Route Opportunities to Play and Persist in Athletics. Sociological Focus, 57:2, 63-93, DOI: 10.1080/00380237.2024.2317480

Owton H and Sparkes AC (2017) Sexual Abuse and the Grooming Process in Sport: Learning from Bella’s Story. Sport, Education and Society 22(6): 732–743.

Parent S and Fortier K (2018) Comprehensive Overview of the Problem of Violence Against Athletes in Sport. Journal of Sport & Social Issues 42(4): 227–246.

Phipps C (2021) Thinking Beyond the Binary: Barriers to Trans* Participation in University Sport. International Review for the Sociology of Sport 56(1): 81–96.

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London Hawes

By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - March 12, 2025

History was always an interest of London Hawes, an experienced city planner, but was never thought of as a potential career path. After almost ten years working in the urban planning departments of cities around the United States, Hawes saw an opportunity at the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion to turn her passion in history into something more.

Hawes grew up in Eugene and received her undergraduate degree in international studies from Brigham Young University - Idaho, including studying abroad at length in Beijing. Always drawn to cityscapes and urban environments, Hawes enrolled directly into graduate school, earning her Master of Planning degree from the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.

After graduation, Hawes worked in the urban planning departments of South Jordan and Lehi City, Utah; Hampton, Virginia; Grand Junction, Colorado; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Hawes’ expertise was specifically on short and long term land use regulation and zoning, including reviewing building and site permits, as well as development for residential, commercial, and public structures. 

A huge component of working in municipal planning departments is acting as a representative of the city in a public setting, listening and learning from residents. “Whether McDonalds wants to open a new restaurant or the city is creating a new strategic plan, for a majority of development or changes in land use restrictions, the city needs to put aside time for public comment,” said Hawes. “Becoming the face of many of these development projects and initiatives has taught me invaluable lessons in listening and patience.”

Hawes' final planning manager role was in Yelm, Washington, outside of Olympia. In September 2022, Hawes was laid off due to restructuring within the city government office.

“This was a huge turning point for me,” said Hawes. “I had been in city planning roles for almost ten years and could keep going, but a part of me always wanted to re-examine my interest in history and become a professor. Though, I had no history degree or research experience.”  

Hawes applied to the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion’s master’s in history program, utilizing her wealth of experience in urban history and planning to help with her application. She was accepted and began in fall 2023. Now finished with her first year of classwork, Hawes is beginning to work on her thesis detailing the life of C. Eleanor Spears, a writer, suffragist, and member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).

“Truthfully, when entering the master’s program, I didn’t have a specific topic in mind to explore,” explained Hawes. “My advisor and mentor, Marisa Chappell, suggested I look into the suffragist movement more broadly, which ultimately led me to Spears.”  Hawes was attracted to the strong role models of the suffragist movement, examining this first wave of feminism in the grand scheme of feminists.

Spears was a New York suffragist whose activism and influence has flown under the academic radar, said Hawes. Spears worked on the national campaign for the 19th amendment by lobbying President Woodrow Wilson and through the WCTU, she was also a gigantic political influence in the ratification of the 18th amendment. 

In a twist of political ideology after living as a fundamentalist in New York, Spears moved to Southern California in the 1920s. She listened to Herbert Hoover’s speech at the 1932 Republican National Convention and became wholly upset by what she heard. Shortly after, Spears became heavily involved in socialist causes, including organizing a socialist club in Inglewood, California, and campaigning for Upton Sinclair’s candidacy in California’s 1934 gubernatorial election.

“She lived a life of contradictions,” said Hawes. “My goal is to situate Spears in feminist history.”

After the history master’s program, Hawes hopes to enter a Ph.D. program and dig deeper into suffragism, looking specifically at the marriages and partnerships of suffragists and how they influenced their positions and perspectives.

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Anthony Laurie

By Taylor Pedersen, CLA Student Writer - February 26, 2025

Based in Los Angeles, Anthony Laurie balances life as a musician in the rock band Thredge, with his studies as a senior in the College of Liberal Arts’ Contemporary Music Industry (CMI) Ecampus program. After originally earning an associate’s degree in classical guitar performance from his local community college in L.A., Laurie sought more industry-focused training, and a recommendation from a friend led him to the CMI program. “The flexibility of online classes allows me to focus on Thredge while also earning my degree,” Laurie explained. 

Through courses in songwriting, entrepreneurship, and music business, Laurie gained practical skills he’s able to  directly apply to his music career. His advice to young musicians looking for more experience is to: “Get out there. Find people to play with, whether it’s through social media or local venues. And if you’re considering the CMI program, it’s a great way to learn the business and creative skills you’ll need.”

Laurie is currently interning at Revolver Recordings in L.A., which he’s able to earn academic credit for. The experience has broadened his musical perspective through engineering and production to collaborating with artists in genres outside his comfort zone. “Helping an R&B artist complete an EP was one of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on. It pushed me creatively and professionally.”

Laurie’s first steps into live performance began at just ten years old. Encouraged by his parents' shared enthusiasm for music, Laurie was drawn to bands like Metallica, sparking a lifelong passion for guitar and performance. His first debut was in middle school talent shows, but his high school years in L.A. marked a turning point. “I played my first real show at a local bar, just me and a backing track,” he said. Soon after, he joined his first band and performed at the famed Whisky a Go Go, a venue that has since become a staple for Thredge.

Thredge began as a partnership between Laurie and drummer Ryan Duswalt, sparked by a backstage meeting at a local venue. “I snuck backstage to surprise him after a show,” Laurie laughed. The pair initially worked long-distance, writing music during the pandemic. The band’s name, a mashup of “thrash” and “edge,” took on deeper significance with their debut album “The New Plague”: a concept record about a fictional plague.

Over time, Thredge has undergone several transformations, from lineup changes to refining their sound. “Recording our first album in ten days was a huge learning experience,” Laurie shared. “We’ve since played everything from packed venues to nearly empty bars, but every show helps us grow.” Recently, Thredge brought on a new lead vocalist and is preparing to record new tracks, including a reimagined version of their popular song “Dysfunctional.”

As graduation nears, Laurie is focused on expanding Thredge’s reach and honing his production skills. “We’re hoping to play some festivals this summer and pitch our new songs to agents and labels,” he shared. Personally, he plans to continue working at Revolver and advancing his expertise in studio production.

For Laurie, the journey is far from over. With his dedication to music and the tools he’s gained through education and experience, he’s well on his way to making a lasting mark in the Industry.

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Credit: Michael Saechang, Flickr

By Colin Bowyer, Communications Manager - February 19, 2025

The United States leads high-income countries in gun deaths. Over the past twenty years, gun fatalities have increased, peaking at 48,830 deaths in 2021. Amidst this widespread gun violence, state legislatures and voters have attempted to address this ongoing crisis by passing policy and ballot measures to affect access to and legal uses of firearms.

In 2022, a public referendum in Oregon, Measure 114, provided voters the choice to strengthen gun control throughout the state. The ballot measure promised background checks for all gun sales, restrictions on magazine capacities, and a new permit-to-purchase program. Proponents of Measure 114 intended to reduce the number of firearms in Oregon, subsequently reducing firearm-related accidents and violence. The referendum narrowly passed but was never implemented, due to numerous court challenges.

In a new working paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Katie Bollman, assistant professor of economics, looks at how new gun regulations affected firearm demand and how anticipatory firearm purchases may have attenuated or delayed the desired effects voiced by proponents of Measure 114.

“In the long run, restrictions like permit-to-purchase programs may increase public safety by reducing the number of guns in circulation,” said Bollman. “However, the passage of such programs may spawn short-run anticipation effects. We see similar behavior in smokers, who reduce smoking when they anticipate future tax hikes, while also stockpiling cigarettes to avoid future taxes.”

Previous literature already suggests how perceived threats of potential new gun restrictions can spur sales, however with the passing of Measure 114, Bollman and her colleagues are able to study the effect of an actual looming restriction.

Using background check data from the FBI and Oregon State Police, Bollman found that background checks gradually increased 14 percent in the weeks preceding the election and then immediately and substantially surged 157 percent after the outcome of the vote was known. In essence, there was one purchase attempt per 50 Oregonians in a two-month period.

18 months after the election, Bollman’s data analysis showed a cumulative increase of around 63,000 background checks throughout Oregon. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was a considerably stronger demand for firearms where the majority of voters opposed Measure 114, mostly located in Oregon’s more rural counties.

“There is a fairly clear-cut and straightforward paper with not a ton of dressing around it,” explained Bollman. “Measure 114 was highly salient, in that there was widespread awareness of the ballot measure, and we observed a distinct effect, more firearm purchases”

As to why Oregonians were motivated to purchase more firearms before and after Measure 114’s passing, Bollman has a few theories. Oregon’s strong gun culture and media consumption outside of urban areas may have elevated gun-owners’ anxiety around firearm restrictions. Bollman and her co-authors referenced a similar scenario in 2008, after Barack Obama was elected, when there was a run on firearm sellers.

Though Measure 114 has still yet to go into effect, policy makers and activists looking to propose similar measures  need to account for these anticipatory effects. Measure 114 may appear to present the best path forward for regulation advocates; however, the public referendum led to massive increases in gun sales—the opposite effect intended by the measure’s authors. Had the measure gone into effect immediately, like a 2016 assault weapons ban in Massachusetts, a much smaller anticipatory reaction may have occurred. 

For Bollman, the next step is to try to understand the behaviors of these new and existing gun owners and what this massive wave of firearm purchases means to Oregonians.

“With the tens of thousands of new firearms purchased by Oregonians, what will these downstream effects look like in practice,” asked Bollman. “There is already an established relationship between firearm access and gun violence. Will we see more of homicides and suicides in Oregon because of Measure 114?”