Education

Ph. D., Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Sociology.

Dissertation: “The American Flag as Art and Controversy: A Case Study of the 1989

Chicago ‘Flag-on-the-Floor’ Controversy.” (Chair: James Burk)

M.S., Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; Sociology.

B.A., Huazhong Normal University, People’s Republic of China; English Language & Literature.

Professional Experience

Courses Taught: Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Marriage and Family, Sociology of Race and Ethnic Relations, Crime and Criminal Justice

Fall, 2002-present, Assistant Professor, UWC-Marathon County.

1999-Spring 2002, Part-time Instructor, Blinn College in Bryan, TX.

1994-2001 Teaching Assistant (Lecturer, Spring 2002), Texas A&M University

Research Assistant for Professor Benigno E. Aguirre:

Wrote bibliographies for the Library of Congress; conducted library database search. Summer, 1994.

Data entry and regression analysis (SAS) for study of social response to Hurricane Hugo, 1990-1991.

1986-1989 Lecturer, Foreign Languages Department, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China.

Research Experience

Interviewed administrators, faculty, students, and trustees at the Art Institute of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as Illinois Veterans of Foreign Wars protest participants and organizers. 1991-2001. Snowballing technique was used to obtain primary data on the decision-making processes, first-hand observations, and the language of protest and counter-protest.

Archival research in Chicago Library, Libraries at the School and the Art Institute, Chancery Division of the Cook County Circuit Court, Lexis-Nexis News Archive, Foundation Index, Vanderbilt Television News Archive and other internet databases. 1991-2001.

Publications

Book Review: “NTC’s Dictionary of China’s Cultural Code Words: The Complete Guide to Key Words That Express How the Chinese Think, Communicate, and Behave.” Coauthor with Professor Jon Alston. Journal of Asian Business (Vol. 13, Number 4, 1997)

Manuscripts and Works in Progress

“What Bestows Cultural Power: The Case of the Flag-on-the-Floor Controversy,” submitted to Sociological Inquiry in December, 2003.

“Does Cultural Literacy Matter for High-Tech Immigrants?” Manuscript in Progress.

“Cultural Consumption in Contemporary China” Manuscript in Progress

Conference Presentations

2002. “The American Flag as Art and Controversy: A Case Study of the 1989 Chicago Flag-on-the-Floor Controversy.” New Orleans. March 27-30.

1999. “Morality and Politics: Chicago Art Conflict.” Presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. Chicago. August 6-10.

1998. “Thinking about Cultural Substance and Institutional Forms.” Presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. San Francisco. August 21-25.

Professional Services and Community Involvement

Member, AKD

Graduate Representative, Honors Program, Department of Sociology, Texas A&M University

Organizer, Graduate Student Orientation. Department of Sociology, Texas A&M University

Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity