Sarah Blanchard

Sarah’s research with the Education and Transition to Adulthood (ETAG) working group focuses on structural and relational aspects of schools, access to higher education, and social mobility.

Several current projects explore different potential contributors to disparities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) participation for minorities and the children of immigrants. For example, how might teachers’ relationships with language minority or immigrant students influence academic achievement during the transition to college? Other work asks if and how program interventions are able to influence school culture around math and science, enhancing academic press and expanding opportunities for underserved adolescents. Two distinct projects in earlier stages of development will each take a multi-level approach to assess how contextual factors influence individual progress within two extremes of the educational spectrum: the middle school math classroom and the academic fast track in doctoral education.

In addition to studying stratification in US schools, other work considers stratifying processes in sending countries. A collaboration with Andres Villarreal studied workforce characteristics in the selectivity of immigrants from Mexico. Other work has described demographic trends in migration from Central America and deportation.

Education and Transition to Adulthood Research Group (ETAG) website

Sarah Blanchard earned her B.A. in Sociology at Villanova University with a concentration in ethics and peace & justice studies.