I'm an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Studies and affiliate of Women's and Gender Studies and Arab American Studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. I hold a PhD in Justice, Law and Criminology from American University, an MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Eastern Michigan University, and a BA in Social Anthropology and Peace and Social Justice from the University of Michigan. My research brings together the areas of law, deviance, fairness, immigration, and power, utilizing interdisciplinary approaches that span the fields of criminology, law and society, and anthropology.
My teaching philosophy is characterized by the pursuit of a critical student-centered approach to learning. Deeply influenced by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, I seek to place learning and power in the hands of students through open dialogue and mutual respect. I consider students to be partners in their own learning. My courses are structured to facilitate critical thinking and reflection through discussion, interaction, and activities that extend beyond the bounds of the classroom, all the while being cognizant of varying learning styles, needs, and interests. I accomplish this through flexibility and responsiveness, structure, transparency, and the maintenance of high intellectual standards.
I teach several core undergraduate and graduate courses in the Criminology and Criminal Justice program at UM-Dearborn, including: Introduction to Criminal Justice (CRJ 200), Quantitative Research Methods (CRJ 410), Crimmigration: Intersections of Immigration and Criminal Justice (CRJ 417/517), Criminal Justice Research Methods (CRJ 418/518), LGBTQ+ Criminology (CRJ 419/519), Forensic Science (CRJ 487), and Applied Criminal Justice Theory (CRJ 480/580).
I am the recipient of several creative, pedagogical, and scholarly awards, grants, and fellowships such as: Outstanding Article or Book Chapter Award, Division of White-Collar and Corporate Crime, American Society of Criminology (2021); UM-Dearborn Academic Service-Learning Faculty Fellowship (2017-2018); University of Michigan Virtual Exchange Initiative grant (2020-2021); UM-Dearborn Hub Faculty Affiliate (2021); UM-Dearborn Creative Teaching Fund Award (2021-2022); University of Michigan Arts+ Initiative grant (2023); UM-Dearborn Outstanding Student Organization Advisor (2022); UM-Dearborn Distinguished Digital Education Award (2021).
I served a 3-year term on the Immigration Law & Justice-Michigan Board of Directors from 2022-2025, during which time I also served as Vice Chair of the Board (2024).
Learn more about my publications here.
Learn more about my creative projects here.
Learn more about my consulting offerings here.
My teaching philosophy is characterized by the pursuit of a critical student-centered approach to learning. Deeply influenced by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, I seek to place learning and power in the hands of students through open dialogue and mutual respect. I consider students to be partners in their own learning. My courses are structured to facilitate critical thinking and reflection through discussion, interaction, and activities that extend beyond the bounds of the classroom, all the while being cognizant of varying learning styles, needs, and interests. I accomplish this through flexibility and responsiveness, structure, transparency, and the maintenance of high intellectual standards.
I teach several core undergraduate and graduate courses in the Criminology and Criminal Justice program at UM-Dearborn, including: Introduction to Criminal Justice (CRJ 200), Quantitative Research Methods (CRJ 410), Crimmigration: Intersections of Immigration and Criminal Justice (CRJ 417/517), Criminal Justice Research Methods (CRJ 418/518), LGBTQ+ Criminology (CRJ 419/519), Forensic Science (CRJ 487), and Applied Criminal Justice Theory (CRJ 480/580).
I am the recipient of several creative, pedagogical, and scholarly awards, grants, and fellowships such as: Outstanding Article or Book Chapter Award, Division of White-Collar and Corporate Crime, American Society of Criminology (2021); UM-Dearborn Academic Service-Learning Faculty Fellowship (2017-2018); University of Michigan Virtual Exchange Initiative grant (2020-2021); UM-Dearborn Hub Faculty Affiliate (2021); UM-Dearborn Creative Teaching Fund Award (2021-2022); University of Michigan Arts+ Initiative grant (2023); UM-Dearborn Outstanding Student Organization Advisor (2022); UM-Dearborn Distinguished Digital Education Award (2021).
I served a 3-year term on the Immigration Law & Justice-Michigan Board of Directors from 2022-2025, during which time I also served as Vice Chair of the Board (2024).
Learn more about my publications here.
Learn more about my creative projects here.
Learn more about my consulting offerings here.
