Welcome to my personal website! My name is Shaneya Simmelkjaer and I am a PhD Candidate in Sociology at Syracuse University. My research broadly centers on the Sociology of Punishment, with areas of specialization in re-entry, parole, and mass incarceration. I have extensive experience with qualitative methods, including interviews, ethnography, and community-based participatory research methods. My theoretical and empirical toolkit are grounded in the Sociological tradition.
In addition to my research experience, I am deeply committed to fostering critical thinking and analysis in the classroom. My diverse teaching strategies encourage students to think critically about society, social structures, and institutions. My teaching practices also allow students to situate their lived experiences, realities, and subjectivities within a broader social context.
To access my teaching portfolio, research portfolio, an overview of my service work, and CV, please use the tabs located above (in the website overhead). You may also click the hyperlinks listed below.
Please use this website to learn about the various elements of my work, including:
MY WORK AS AN EDUCATOR
Shaneya is a dedicated, innovative, and passionate educator who prioritizes students’ learning experiences. She creates a culturally responsive, rigorous, and invigorating learning environment where students are encouraged to engage in critical thinking and analysis. Shaneya also embraces personalized approaches in the classroom to meet students’ unique learning styles and challenges.
MY SCHOLARLY CONTRIBUTIONS
Shaneya has extensive research experience on areas related to criminal justice policy and reform, parole, mass incarceration, and re-entry. She specializes in qualitative methodology, as most of her research employs interview methods, ethnography, and community-based participatory methods. She enjoys conducting collaborative research with community members and scholars across disciplines.
MY SERVICE
Shaneya is committed to becoming a well-rounded scholar, as she prioritizes academic service. She has taken on multiple service roles over the course of her graduate school career, including student leadership roles in the department and university, department committee membership, and service to the Sociology discipline. Shaneya believes that service is a central component of her professionalization. Service work has also provided Shaneya with opportunities to meet and network with other scholars in her field.