Interests

I am primarily interested in the connections between schooling and social inequality. In addition to the Department of Sociology, I am also on the faculty of the Graduate Group in Education.

Poverty and Inequality Research

Education and inequality are closely linked in US society. We expect schooling to provide all individuals with a pathway to upward mobility and to prepare new generations of engaged citizens and productive workers. But schooling is not immune to the economic and social inequalities that characterize the rest of our society. Rather, those inequalities tend to manifest in the form of unequal education opportunities that, left unchecked, prevent schooling from fulfilling its potential to create a better and more just society. 

Recent Work

I’ve been enjoying an interdisciplinary research collaboration examining the causes, consequences, and potential malleability of the sense of belonging among new college students.

In our most recent paper, led by CPIR affiliate Professor Heather Rose, we examined whether attending a high school of choice (i.e., a charter or private school) compared to a traditional public school was associated with arriving at college with a stronger expected sense of belonging, which is predictive of better college outcomes. After accounting for differences in students’ individual and family resources, we did not find much evidence to suggest that schools of choice provide their graduates with a stronger sense that they belong in college than traditional public schools. 

Current Projects

I have a couple of projects that I’m especially excited about. Along with an outstanding team of graduate and undergraduate researchers, I’m analyzing how California school district policies for supporting economically disadvantaged, English-learner, and foster youth students have evolved over time and diffused across the state.

I am also returning to my earliest research interest: inequalities related to disability and special education. I recently received a grant from the Urban Institute to analyze a large collection of administrative data to assess how the varying supports schools provide students with disabilities are associated with a broad array of social, economic, and health outcomes during early adulthood.

Other Initiatives

Working with CPIR has given me a chance to really invest in mentoring, which has always been a highlight of working in academia for me. I previously directed the Summer Poverty Research Engagement Experience (SPREE) program, which provided professional development and mentored research opportunities to undergraduate students at three Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

I currently direct a similar PhD pathway program for undergraduates at Hispanic Serving Institutions in California called Broadening Participation in Social Inequality Research, as well as a mentoring program for recent PhD recipients who are just starting their research careers (the National Research Center on Poverty and Economic Mobility Early-Career Mentoring Institute).

How Do You Unwind?

Making music and playing sports have always been my go-to unwinding activities. An evening dog walk while listening to a light, not-too-serious podcast or audiobook is also a daily ritual.

Read more about Jacob’s mentoring work:
Going Upstream for Faculty Diversity: Summer Research Experience Builds a Pipeline of Diverse Future Ph.D.s

October 2024