Future Work

The Suburban Shuffle: School Choice and Educational Inequality

I will use a mixed-method geospatial approach combining mapping analyses with interviews, story-mapping and geo-narratives to understand how sociospatial preferences and perceptions guide how families of young children make school decisions in the Atlanta metro area. The suburban areas surrounding Atlanta are increasingly diverse and offer a growing number of public school choice options but still exist in the context of sociospatial segregation. This research will shed light on how suburban families navigate school choice and how these decisions contribute to broader patterns of inequality in the education system.

STEM Futures: Multigenerational Perspectives on STEM and Black Women

How do Black families perceive and approach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and careers for Black girls? How do college-aged Black women perceive and reflect on their experiences in STEM as young adults?

This qualitative cohort-based study will evaluate the role of family beliefs, expectations, and support systems in shaping Black girls’ engagement with STEM. Through interviews with families of young Black girls, and college-aged Black women and their parents the project will also explore the intersectionality of race, gender, and class in the formation of STEM aspirations.