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Teaching Experience

Instructor of Record: University of California, Davis

Teaching Assistant: University of California, Davis

Mentorship

Guest Lectures

Student Feedback

Sociology of the Environment

"Thank you for teaching this class. I learned a lot of valuable analytical and critical thinking skills. Even in your feedback ^ I've learned how to think more critically and deeply about environmental issues and content in general. It was surprising to see how many complex factors and perspectives are associated with fighting environmental degradation. I think as a STEM student I often risk being reductive in my understandings and views, so again, it is great to learn about sociological methods and views, and take a more multifaceted approach to these issues."

"It was full of very real world applicable knowledge and ideas, it was an organically interesting class that I was upset to miss when I had to. Group work and discussions fell hand in hand with the subject of sociology, and discussions were fun and interesting."

"It taught me to think critically and understand information through various lenses. Good introduction to academic analyses with the project."

"I loved the topics we discussed, it was all very interesting. I also liked that the professor encouraged us to speak our opinions and add into the conversation. I felt safe speaking up"

"The lectures are engaging and relatable, making the content easier to understand, I really enjoyed coming to class."

Introduction to Social Research Methods

"Just in general I feel like this class really has helped me a lot in understanding how to design research. The one I came up with the final project might not be a well-rounded and mature one but still, it definitely is a great experience for me. So thank you:)"

"I plan to use the skills I've developed and information I've learned to be a critical and informed citizen when it comes to consuming information about research projects. I'm a more informed person and can be more critical of the information I take in each day as I will question the motives goals and collection strategies of the research that is presented to me."

"I really enjoyed your teaching. It wasn't overwhelming and the structure of assignments was great. It forced me to do the assignments because they build off of each other in some form, especially for the research paper."

"I started considering doing research after undergrad due to this class. I’m still not certain but if I do I will definitely implement what I learned from this class."

Social Stratification

"Considering summer session is only six weeks, students like myself can be easily overwhelmed with the amount of material we need to study; however, the instructor did an excellent job with organizing the material and assignments for this course. Students' understanding of the material was assessed fairly on a week to week basis. I am glad that we had weekly assignments because they encouraged me to stay on top of my work, rather than procrastinate and get bogged down with insignificant details. The presentation slides were always comprehensive and engaging (she also did a wonderful job with the aesthetics of the PowerPoint presentations; the slides were always appealing to the eyes.). I must say I was incredibly impressed by her teaching ability as a PhD candidate. I wished I had the opportunity to be her student again? As a student who is often hesitant and timid to approach any instructor, she was always approachable no matter the time of day...whether during and after Zoom sessions, via email, and via office hours."

"Professor Stein was very accessible outside of class and answered both related and unrelated questions I had with attention to detail. It really felt like she wanted to cater towards my individual learning experience in this class, and I truly appreciate that. She's the best teacher I've had at Davis."

"I found the course very educational. Before taking the course I was unaware of social stratification and as a minority myself I gained a better understanding as to why certain outcomes were happening to me. It is truly an awareness that needs to happen in America for a social change."

"I appreciate the feedback that is provided and that we are pushed to think critically. It isn’t the easiest class because the expectations are high but it is rewarding because it challenges students to work hard and really out in effort."

"I wanted to share my feedback on your course. Foremost, I had a wonderful experience being your student for the summer? I cannot believe this is your first course as an instructor. Your attention to detail, content organization, and presentation were exceptional. I had previously enrolled in this course last summer with another instructor; however, due to extenuating circumstances at my workplace as a hotel receptionist and housekeeper, I was unable to complete the course. Although the subject was the same, Social Stratification, your course is incomparable to my last summer class; moreover, it is incomparable to other courses I have taken as a fifth-year undergraduate student. As a student who is not a confident public speaker, I was very appreciative that you gave students the opportunity to actively participate in this course through alternative means, such as office hours and class activity reflections. I often encounter courses in which instructors overwhelm students with studying every theorist that has existed on this earth, every element of a system, multiple irrelevant readings, etc. Unfortunately, students are unable to effectively absorb the overwhelming amount of information and to make meaningful connections between course concepts, and in some cases, to our own personal experiences. However, you gave students the opportunity to do both; that is, understanding different systems of stratification beyond our personal experiences and how these systems shape our own lives on a daily basis and how we engage with them in turn. "

Undergraduate Research Center Mentor-Mentee Program

"I participated in the MMP for two quarters under sociology graduate student Alana Stein. Alana provided insight on the graduate school process, qualitative/quantitative research methodologies, and balancing undergraduate activities. In addition, she challenged my preconceptions of liberal arts fields such as sociology and solidified my interest in qualitative research. Working with Alana on two projects related to food access and socioeconomics, the undergraduate research experience widened my perspective on socioeconomic inequality and the role of public institutions that shape food security policy. Alana also further encouraged me to think outside of the box in considering multiple graduate school fields like anthropology while helping me develop a personal literature review project proposal on the intersectionality of international student identity. Also, I received the MMP Summer Research Fellowship through her guidance and her interdisciplinary synthesis of using both qualitative and quantitative analysis of food banks. Overall, Alana is an outstanding mentor who has solidified my critical thinking, research, and collaborative skills that can aid my graduate school process and beyond. "

"My mentor, Alana, has been incredibly open and willing to teach me about research in Sociology and life in general. From the start, she was concerned with my goals and aspirations, and continued to check up on me. She was very dependable throughout the course of the quarter. Doing research with her was great as I was able to learn so much about transcription and coding of interviews. These are basic research skills that I look forward to using throughout the rest of my academic career. Her work on intersectionality and access to food banks was eye-opening for me, as I was able to see how certain identities were barred from access to basic necessities. During our meetings, Alana was open to my questions and helped me work through any concepts I didn’t understand. I appreciated how she encouraged me to explore my own interests in whichever way I could, and remained confident in my abilities. Alana’s passion for the people she’s worked with was very inspiring to me. It is because of Alana’s mentorship that I feel more confident applying to graduate school and seeking other research opportunities."