Division of Sociology and Anthropology announces new faculty members

Morgantown, WV, August 25, 2006: The Division of Sociology and Anthropology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University announces the appointment of three new faculty members. They will begin teaching at WVU during the Fall 2006 semester.

Dr. Erica Owens comes to WVU after teaching for four years at Marquette University. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Florida in 2002. Her primary areas of research and teaching are family, social psychology, gender, race, and ethnicity. Her Ph.D. dissertation explored how marital dissolution affects individual identity. Dr. Owens will teach courses on Social Psychology and Families and Society.

Dr. Karen Weiss completed her Ph.D. in Sociology at State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2006. Her research and teaching experience are in the areas of criminology/victimization, gender/sexuality and culture. Her dissertation focused on the excuses and justifications victims use to deny the severity of incidents, excuse offenders, and justify non-reporting to the police. Dr. Weiss is teaching courses in Criminology and Prisons and Incarcerations.

Dr. Amy Hirshman joins the WVU faculty from the University of Michigan-Flint, where she has taught for several years. Her Ph.D. is from Michigan State University, in Anthropology. Her dissertation examined the relationship between craft specialization and state formation in prehispanic western Mesoamerica. Dr. Hirshman will teach Introduction to Anthropology, Physical Anthropology, and World Prehistory.

Dr. Melissa Latimer, Chair of the Division of Sociology and Anthropology noted that "The Division of Sociology and Anthropology is excited to share the range of new research interests and diversity of courses that these new scholars bring to the University community."

For more information, please contact Dr. Melissa Latimer at 304-293-5801 ext 3209 or at Melissa.Latimer@mail.wvu.edu

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