Department of Sociology and Criminology Welcomes New Faculty

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Brandon Crawford and Brittany Hearne

Brandon Crawford, Brittany Hearne, and Rocio Paez have joined the University as assistant professors in the Department of Sociology and Criminology in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

Brandon Crawford's scholarship focuses on the development of measures for controversial social issues, sexual and reproductive health, child maltreatment and the life-course, and the role of gender in child welfare agency decision-making. Crawford is currently a Co-P.I. on a grant to develop and assess measures for use in social surveys, working with faculty in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education and Health Professions.  As part of this work, he will design and evaluate multiple interventions focused on improving outcomes in the domains of health, social well-being, and criminality.  Crawford will teach courses in reproductive health, criminality, and social data analytics. 

"Returning to UA in a tenure track capacity is a great opportunity for my family and me," said Crawford.

Crawford received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from McMurry University. He earned a Master of Arts in sociology here at the University of Arkansas before earning his doctorate in sociology at the University of Oklahoma.

Brittany Hearne's scholarship centers on socially patterned variations in the areas of health, family, and social psychology. Specifically, she utilizes quantitative methods to examine how race, gender, and educational attainment intersect to produce unequal outcomes in depressive symptoms, self-concept, romantic relationships, and parent-child relationships.  In her dissertation research, she analyzed the impact of romantic relationships (i.e., singlehood, monogamous dating, cohabitation, and marriage) on self-concept and health for blacks and whites by educational attainment during the transition to adulthood. In other work, she has assessed how parenting styles during adolescence influence young adults' mental health and educational achievements. Hearne will be teaching courses in mental health and ilness and social data analytics.

"Learning has always been my favorite hobby. As a first-generation college student, it sometimes seemed unlikely that I would have the opportunity to turn my passion for learning into a career in which I conduct research and teach in the college classroom. Now that I am living what once seemed to be unlikely, I could not be more grateful for the opportunities I have here at the University of Arkansas," said Hearne. 

Hearne is from Dallas, Texas. She earned a doctorate and Master of Arts in sociology from Vanderbilt University. She received a Bachelor of Science in sociology from Texas A&M University.

Rocio Paez's interests include criminological theory, the intersection of race, immigration, and crime, and the role that networks and institutions play in neighborhood crime. In line with her research focus, her dissertation consisted of a macro-level analysis of the influence of military presence on crime rates in American communities. Her work has been published in journals such as American Journal of Criminal Justice, Deviant Behavior, and Computers in Human Behavior. She is a member of the American Society of Criminology and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and regularly presents her work at regional, national, and international conferences. Paez will be teaching required courses and electives for the online minor in criminal justice.

"I am honored and excited to be joining the department and look forward to developing new interdisciplinary connections with faculty and students," said Paez.

Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Paez received her Bachelor of Arts (2012, summa cum laude), Master of Arts (2014), and Doctor of Philosophy (2017) in criminal justice from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Before joining the faculty at the University of Arkansas, Paez served as an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Ball State University.  She came back to Arkansas to be closer to her family. 

"I am absolutely delighted to have these outstanding scholars join the department," said Anna Zajicek, department chair. "Their level of achievement is very impressive and their areas of expertise strengthen our strategic areas of emphasis: health/wellbeing, crime, and data analytics. We are very excited to have these researchers and educators on our team and we look forward to their continued success."

About the Department: The Department of Sociology and Criminology offers three degree programs and two honor societies; affiliation with three research units: the Center for Social Research, the Community and Family Institute, and the Terrorism Research Center.