Abby Templer Rodrigues Archives - Reynolds College Blog

Sociology students present research in Brazil over summer

November 5, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Two Missouri State University students presented their research at the 22nd Biennial Meeting for the Society of Brazilian Sociology at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, in July 2025.

Bruno Miranda Guerra and Sophia Dela Coleta presented, “Cannabis in Context: Attitudes and Consumption Patterns Among College Students in Missouri” at the conference.

Miranda Guerra is a recent graduate of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG). He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Applied Second Language Acquisition in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Religions. Dela Coleta is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Missouri State.

Sociology Associate Professors Dr. Herbert Rodrigues and Dr. Abby Templar Rodrigues accompanied Miranda Guerra and Dela Coleta to the conference and presented their own research.

Dr. Abby Templer Rodrigues publishes research on STEM scholarship program

April 3, 2025 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Associate professor Dr. Abby Templer Rodrigues of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology (SAG) recently published her research on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) scholarship equity.

The article, “Participation of women in STEM: an intersectional approach,” appeared in the open-source Brazilian journal Revista Estudos: Feministas in March 2025. Templer Rodrigues originally presented this research in 2023 at the 21st Biennial Conference of the Brazilian Sociological Society in Belém, Brazil.

Templer Rodrigues has taught at Missouri State since Fall 2018. Her research interests include work and occupations, qualitative methods and social inequities. She is currently writing a book on the creative economy in rural Massachusetts.

Answering a request to evaluate a scholarship program

Previously, Templer Rodrigues has researched equity issues for faculty in higher education. When asked to evaluate a scholarship program that supports academically talented students with financial need, she saw an opportunity to explore equity in higher education for students as well.

Templer Rodrigues was asked to study a scholarship program designed to increase access to STEM degrees based on social class. Her objective was to evaluate whether the program had met its goals.

In addition, Templer Rodrigues examined the program’s impact on participants based on their multiple or intersectional demographic characteristics. She wanted to determine whether a scholarship program aiming to improve class-based equity in STEM could also impact gender- and race-based equity.

Graduate student Nakaja Weaver researching algorithmic bias in social media

March 19, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Sociology graduate student Nakaja Weaver is about to wrap up a research project that allowed her to blend her passion for art with her quest for knowledge.

Weaver seized the opportunity to turn her interests into a full-fledged project after taking a class with her academic advisor, Dr. Abby Templer Rodrigues.

“I began this research project after taking a class on public sociology and community (SOC 398),” Weaver said. “In that course, we discussed topics about community, social capital and inequality.”

Weaver launched her project, titled “The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Black Artists Through a Black Feminist Lens,” in May 2023.

This April, she will discuss her findings by presenting a paper at the Midwest Sociological Society conference and then give a poster presentation at the Missouri Academy of Science conference.

Weaver also hopes to publish her finished work in an academic journal.