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Chris H

- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at University of Wisconsin

Expertise

sociology, science and technology studies, demography, data analysis

Bio

I am pursuing my PhD in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I earned my MS in sociology. I specialize in research methods, quantitative (statistical) analysis, social inequality (particularly health inequities), and science and technology studies. For my dissertation, I am studying how statistical methods became prominent in medical research. My most rewarding experiences as a graduate student have involved guiding students through research projects. I love giving passionate students the tools and confidence they need to pursue their interests. While working on my dissertation, I am currently employed with the Wisconsin Division of Medicaid Services, where I work as a program and policy analyst focusing on health equity.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Analyzing and Presenting Survey Data

In this project you will learn how to access survey data, how to prepare raw data for analysis, and how to conduct basic summary statistics and create data visualizations. You will create a final report that explains to a professional audience what question you’re answering, how your data enable you to answer it, and what conclusions you drew based on your analysis. Prerequisites: 1) Some background in elementary statistics 2) Some familiarity with code-based statistical software like Stata, SAS, R, or SPSS. Other information: Access to statistical software is required, preferably Stata (license required) or R (open source).

Understanding How Knowledge is Socially Constructed

In today’s polarized political climate and contentious online landscape, it is more evident than ever that what we know depends on our social connections and cultural assumptions. In this project you will learn how our understanding shapes reality as much as reality shapes our understanding. You will apply this knowledge by analyzing how social and cultural factors shaped a fact that we typically take for granted. Prerequisites: An interest in a social scientific understanding of philosophical questions and a desire to read complex texts.

Coding skills

Stata, R (dplyr), SQL

Languages I know

Intermediate Spanish

Teaching experience

I have spent 4 years as a lecturer, teaching assistant, and tutor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for classes on race and ethnicity, legal studies, statistics, and research methods. I was also a tutor for sociology, statistics, and English as an undergraduate. I have taken several classes and workshops on effective teaching practices and managing large independent projects.

Credentials

Work experience

Wisconsin Division of Medicaid Services (2020 - Current)
Program and Policy Analyst
University of Wisconsin-Madison (2016 - 2020)
Lecturer, Teaching Assistant, and Tutor
University of Wisconsin-Madison (2013 - 2016)
Research Assistant
University of Wyoming (2009 - 2011)
Tutor and Student Mentor

Education

University of Wyoming
BA Bachelor of Arts (2011)
Sociology
University of Wisconsin
BS Bachelor of Science (2015)
Sociology
University of Wisconsin
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Sociology

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