About

I am a PhD candidate in Sociology at UC San Diego.

My research aims to connect macro-level processes (economic change, politics) with micro-level processes (cognition, behavior). A key theme in my work is understanding how people interpret their own careers in relation to their social mobility and overall well-being. Methodologically, I specialize in interview methods and computational text analysis.

My dissertation explores Gen Z’s financial management, with a particular interest in financial investment. Surveys show that 45% of Gen Zs became financial investors before they turned 20, which represents an unprecedented level of investment by young people. To better understand this surge, my research asks several linked questions: (1) How is young peoples’ financial investment related to their social mobility goals? (2) What role does investment play in relation to more traditional mobility strategies within higher education and careers? and (3) What effect does race and gender have on how young people approach financial management? Through this research, I hope to provide sociological insight into headline-grabbing phenomena like quiet quitting and meme stock investment, and more generally into how young people are adapting to increasing economic uncertainty.

I’m also working with Dr. Amy Binder and Dr. Jeffrey Kidder to understand the structures that support heterodox professionals—specifically, libertarian scholars. Drawing on scholarship about careers, identity, and institutional maintenance, we explore the career persistence of this academic subculture and its implications for higher education as well as other professional fields.

My research has been covered by UC San Diego Today, The Last Show podcast, and ASA’s Economic Sociology section newsletter. Coverage of my work before graduate school can be found in the Guardian and in the Washington Post.

My CV can be found at this link.