My research focuses on how social inequalities can be alleviated or reproduced through education. In particular, my work centers on understanding the processes within schools that contribute to systemic patterns of racial, gender and class inequality. I combine ethnographic and interview data to explore these mechanisms, and contribute to theoretical debates related to stratification and race relations and policy questions concerning education and the welfare of children and families.

One strand of my research examines the social dynamics of integrated settings. In particular, I am concerned with the intersections of race and gender in such contexts and how these identities influence students’ academic and social experiences.

The second strand of my research examines how students transition to postsecondary education and the connections between the way students navigate this transition and their educational persistence and attainment.