Rachel Novick, PhD '23
Name: Rachel Novick
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Program: School of Criminal Justice, Rockefeller College
Awards: Steven DeBraccio ’10 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award; Torch Faculty/Student Engagement Award Nominee
Tell us about your research interests/dissertation and why you are passionate about this topic?
I study intersectional differences in the relationship between employment and desistance from crime. I am passionate about this topic because too often researchers lump people of different races and genders all together, assuming they are all treated the same way. Yet, we know that this simply isn't true. Systemic racism and sexism create bigger barriers for women, people of color, and especially women of color. Intersectional analyses allow us to better understand the barriers women of color and others who experience more than one type of marginalization or oppression are facing.
What do you want the public to know about your research? Why is your topic important?
Researchers often forgo intersectional analyses because their datasets do not include variables or a large enough or diverse enough sample to detect these differences. Unfortunately, this leads many to believe that there aren't intersectional differences in their findings, even though there might have been had they been able to explore it.
What was one of the most meaningful experiences you had during your time in the PhD program?
The most meaningful experience I had during my time in the PhD program was teaching undergraduate research design classes and statistics classes. I love teaching these classes and it was here that I realized how much I enjoy first-generation students. It sharpened my own research vision and steered me toward a job where I can continue teaching these courses to this population.
What kind of opportunities are you considering for post-graduate employment?
In Fall 2023, I will be a new assistant professor in the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven. I will be teaching the stats and methods courses there to a student population that includes many first-generation students. This feels like a dream come true! I never could have gotten here without the amazing support and guidance of my professors in the UAlbany School of Criminal Justice — especially my advisor, Dr. Justin Pickett, and the executive director of our program, Dr. Dana Peterson.
What advice do you have for students who are considering or pursuing a PhD at UAlbany?
My advice is to dream big, have fun, and define yourself by your successes instead of your failures.