Established in 2020, the Social & Political Change Lab is committed to understanding and affecting social change through the study of public and social policy, voting, discourse, social movements, policing, and drugs. This work brings together topics in sociology, public administration, political science, criminal justice, city planning, and law, among others.
We are now accepting applications for Research Assistants. You can fill out an application here: RA Application.
Current Students
Skylar Weatherford (Masters of Public Administration, 2027)
Skylar is developing a thesis project investigating the impact of geographic and structural factors on the effectiveness of social assistance programs.
Reyna Blakeman (Masters of Public Administration & MA in Latin American Studies, 2028)
Reyna's thesis investigates the impact of bilingual ballots on voter participation amongst Latinos in California.
Jackson Perry (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2026)
Jackson recently completed his masters thesis, which investigates the impact of head injury, alcohol use, and offending behavior amongst youth. We have also collaborated on a project investigating the relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and aggressive behavior amongst NFL players. In Fall 2026, Jackson will begin pursing his PhD in Criminology & Criminal Justice at Florida State.
Former Students
Madison Ruffin (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2025)
Madison's thesis investigated how the presence of criminal allegations shapes perceptions of support for celebrities. In Fall 2025, Madison began pursuing her PhD in Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University.
Lauren Koenig (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2025)
Lauren's thesis investigated variation in pre-trial release decisions as a result of judges' decision making and focal concerns.
Samara Camarillo (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2025)
Samara's thesis investigated temporal changes in Title IX procedures, post-COVID and post-#MeToo, at institutions of higher education in California. In Fall 2025, Samara began pursuing her PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina.
Aby Sosa (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2024)
Aby, a former research assistant, completed a capstone project in the School. Aby is currently applying to law school.
Moriah Gaynor (Masters of Public Administration, 2023)
Moriah's thesis investigates how state-level restrictions in abortion policy affect maternal mortality.
Sheridamae (Sheri) Gudez (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2023)
Sheri's thesis investigated how social disorganization affects policing in and around communities of color in San Diego. In Fall 2023, Sheri began pursuing her PhD in Criminology at Penn State.
Noah Cohen (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2022)
Noah, a former research assistant, completed his thesis, which is a comparative analysis of international human rights organizations' effectiveness in bringing about justice for human rights abuses in Darfur. In Fall 2022, Noah began pursuing his PhD in Criminal Justice at John Jay.
Penelope Oseguera (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2021)
Penelope's thesis investigated the evolution of discourse around "Defund the Police," highlighting when, why, and how changes in discourse around contentious issues occur.
Nicole DeFelicis (MS in Criminal Justice & Criminology, 2021)
Nicole, a former research assistant, completed a capstone project in 2021. She is currently working as a legal processing specialist for Orange County Department of Human Resources.