UND Sociology Department

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Grand Forks, ND
UND Sociology Department

The UND Sociology Department offers an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree.

Chairperson: Curtis Stofferahn
Director of Graduate Studies: Daphne Pedersen

09/11/2026

Dr. Krista Lynn Minnotte attended the biennial Work and Family Researchers Network conference this June, where she presented her research and participated in panel discussions on the publishing process for pre-doctoral students and early career scholars. She also joined fellow members of the Community, Work & Family editorial team for an evening of networking and collaboration. The editorial team has members from across the globe.

09/09/2026

UND Sociology enthusiastically welcomes Teaching Associate Professor Claudine Pied to our department this semester!

Dr. Pied received a PhD in cultural anthropology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She comes to UND after spending 13 years at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she was Professor of Sociology and Anthropology. Her research broadly focuses on how rural communities respond to economic and land use changes in the United States. This has led to projects on political polarization, energy infrastructure, forest land use, and dairy farming. She has brought this work to her teaching, especially classes on Social Inequalities; Rural Sociology; and Conservation, Wildlife, and Recreation. At UND, she is teaching Sociological Research Methods and Diversity in the United States. She enjoys hiking and looks forward to cross-country skiing in the winter.

09/04/2026

A warm UND Sociology welcome to Erin Hoffert, our new administrative secretary!

Erin joined the University of North Dakota's Sociology Department in June, but as an original Grand Forks resident, she has been a UND fan since childhood. It comes as no surprise that she graduated from UND with a bachelor's degree in Visual Arts. Before joining the Sociology Department, Erin worked at Altru Health System and the Energy & Environmental Research Center, where she combined her creativity and organizational skills to streamline operations and support her colleagues.

Outside of work, Erin enjoys spending time with her family, including their two cats and two dogs. She can't imagine life without animals. Photography and nail art provide creative outlets that help satisfy her artistic side. On weekends, when she's not traveling to her children's soccer tournaments or cheer competitions, you can often find her cheering on the Fighting Hawks at a UND football game in the Alerus Center.

09/01/2026

UND Sociology wishes Linden Vimislik a fond farewell as she pursues a role as a forensic investigator! This exciting opportunity makes better use of Linden’s degree.

Having worked with UND Sociology for more than a decade, Linden will be remembered as an invaluable resource, a trusted colleague, and a friend.

Best of luck in your future endeavors, Linden! We will miss you.

05/15/2026

Today is the last day of Finals Week, bringing this semester to a close. Congratulations to all those graduating this weekend!
Have a great summer, everyone!

05/14/2026

The Sociology Department had four students present their fascinating capstone research work at the Spring UNDergraduate Showcase last week!

The Cost of Friendship: How Money Impacts Our Social Connections - Victoria Bryant

Cognitive Rigidity and Perceived Importance of Protecting the Rights of Individuals Suspected of Crimes - Edward Tortorelli

Political Perspective and Gender: Analyzing Attitudes Towards the Supreme Court's Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization - Aubree Koering

Local Crime News Consumption and Perceptions of Safety - Tyler Birst (via Zoom)

05/13/2026

Alpha Kappa Delta (the Sociology Honor Society) and Sociology Club members Ed Tortorelli, Gabe Kilzer, and Joe Jochman participated in the Big Event this year!
Our tasks included lawn, garden, and gutter work. It is always wonderful to be a part of this important community service event, and we look forward to next year and beyond!

05/12/2026

On Friday, April 24, we held our 3rd annual Celebrating Sociology event. Faculty and students gathered to have snacks and acknowledge all the achievements accomplished by our students this year. This included presenting certificates to our scholarship recipients and students who joined Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD, the Sociology Honor Society. Prizes were also given out to four lucky attendees!

05/11/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Justin Berg and his research team (Dr. Kay Gim from the Communication Department and S**e Olateru-Olagbegi, a graduate student in the Department of Education, Health and Behavior Studies) for winning a development grant from the Midwest Sociological Society. Their upcoming research will examine how eating together can build positive relationships between people from different backgrounds.

Starting this September, they will conduct an experiment where pairs of students share a meal together and engage in get-to-know-you conversations at the University food court. Any changes in their intergroup attitudes will be compared to the attitudes of a control group, which will not eat together. Two undergraduate research assistants will also join the team to help run the tasks, write a journal article, and present at next year's Midwest Sociological Society annual conference. We look forward to seeing the results of their fun and important work!

05/08/2026

Last but not least, our newest faculty member, Dr. Katherine Furl, spent most of her time at the 2026 MSS conference presenting research she's done with student collaborators.
She actually presented AND presided over her first session, titled "Media Consumption, Portrayals, and Representation." Her research presentation was titled "The Ordinary Extraordinary in Productivity Influencers’ Mobility Portrayals."
The next session she presented at was titled "Identities and Subcultures in Popular Culture," and her research was titled "If My Friend Was in an Abusive Relationship, I Wouldn’t Be Like, ‘Well, if it Makes You Happy!’”: Ambiguities Surrounding “Trad Wives” on Commentary YouTube.
Finally, she acted as a panelist for a committee session titled "Care as Social Justice: Reframing Faculty Labor," along with Dr. Krista Lynn Minnotte.

Address

Gillette Hall Room 202 225 Centennial Drive Stop 7136
Grand Forks, ND
58202

Telephone

+17017772187

Website

https://blogs.und.edu/sociology/

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