Sociology professor Alexes Harris has been selected to deliver OMA&D’s eighth annual Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture on Thursday, April 19. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. in the Odegaard Undergraduate Library (Room 220), followed by the lecture at 6:30 p.m. in Kane Hall (Room 110).
The event will be held in conjunction with HuskyFest, the University of Washington’s three-day, campus-wide celebration commemorating its 150th anniversary.
Dr. Harris received degrees in the field of sociology from the UW (B.A., 1997) and the University of California, Los Angeles (M.A., 1999; Ph.D., 2002). Her research and teaching interests are in social stratification and inequality, the juvenile and criminal justice system, race and ethnicity, and qualitative research methods. She has authored and co-authored research articles in journals including the American Journal of Sociology, the American Sociological Review, Law and Society Review, the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, and Race and Society.
Dr. Harris is currently developing a book manuscript that investigates the imposition of monetary sanctions to persons convicted of felony offenses in the United States, and specifically in Washington state. She was recently honored by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education as one of the magazine’s top “Under 40” scholars from around the country who are making their mark through teaching, research and service. Dr. Harris was also featured as one of Viewpoints Magazine’s top 40 emerging leaders from diverse communities under the age of 40, in 2009.
Established in 2005, this annual lecture is named in honor of the late Dr. Kelly, UW’s first Vice President for the Office of Minority Affairs (1970), and dedicated to acknowledging the work of distinguished faculty by spotlighting nationally recognized research focusing on diversity and social justice.
Past lecturers include Dr. Luis Fraga (Department of Political Science, 2011), Dr. Richard Ladner (Department of Computer Science and Engineering/Electrical Engineering/Linguistics, 2010), Dr. Biren (Ratnesh) Nagda (School of Social Work, 2009), Dr. Joy Williamson (College of Education, 2008), Dr. Karina Walters (School of Social Work, 2007), Dr. Devon G. Pena (Department of Anthropology/American Ethnic Studies, 2006), and Dr. Quintard Taylor (Department of History, 2005).
The lecture is free and open to the public. To register, contact cpromad@uw.edu or call 206-685-9594 by April 12. More information is available on the event web site.