We had a great time in Jacksonville attending the Southern Sociological Society's (SSS) annual conference this past weekend where we had an opportunity to connect with some of our former students:

Back row (L-R): UGA PhDs Phil Lewin (Florida Atlantic University) and Elizabeth Culatta (Augusta University), incoming graduate student Isaac Jamerson, current graduate students Maddy Williams and Patrick Franck, friend of the program Jay Targett, UGA PhD Bryan Cannon (Alice Lloyd College). Bottom row (L-R) UGA PhD Denise Woodall (University of North Georgia) and Dr. Dawn Robinson (current faculty).

Also, sociology major Sanjana Gopu presented her research project on breast cancer mortality. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. While having similar incidence rates across all races, Black women face a disproportionate mortality rate of 41-42% higher than other women. The standout element of her research is subtype distribution. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) disproportionately affects Black women while being the most aggressive form of breast cancer and the subtype with the least targeted therapies. Research on TNBC remains painfully limited, expanding this work is essential if we hope to close the mortality gap and move toward a future where breast cancer outcomes are equitable for all.

She learned about the SSS opportunity through SGSS President Maddy Williams and UGA Sociology's Laboratories for the Study of Social Interaction (LaSSI). With assistance from UGA CURO and Dr. Dawn Robinson as her faculty advisor, Sanjana was able to communicate her research to other sociologists and learn about their work.

Sanjana wishes "a special thank you to Keely Fox who taught my first class in Medical Sociology (SOCI 3100), then Sociology of Healthcare (SOCI 3110), both of which I loved so much that I HAD to pursue a project of my own."