About Me

I am an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Trinity College in Hartford, where I also direct the Legislative Internship Program. I earned my Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, in 2022.

My research examines the intersection of race and representation in American politics, with particular attention to how racial and ethnic minorities participate in the political process and shape policy through lobbying. My current book project explores how racial minority interest groups (RMIGs) function as mechanisms of representation for marginalized communities.

At Trinity, I actively engage undergraduates through my Lab on Civic & Democratic Participation (the Dang Gang), where students conduct hands-on research on voter turnout, representation, and lobbying. The lab emphasizes mentorship, professional development, and collaborative scholarship, offering students opportunities to co-author publications and refine their analytical and methodological skills.

My work on voter mobilization has been supported by a grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. This funding enabled the Voter Captains Project, which investigates strategies to increase civic participation among marginalized racial and ethnic minorities in Hartford. Through this initiative, I collaborate with community partners and provide students with applied research experiences that directly impact local voter turnout efforts.

I have been honored with several awards, including the UC President’s Dissertation Fellowship, the Barbara and Paul Saltman Excellent Teaching Award, and the Presidential Graduate Opportunities for Leadership Development (GOLD) Fellowship. I am a proud inductee of the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. At Trinity, my commitment to student engagement and pedagogy has been recognized through teaching fellowships and awards. Most recently, the American Political Science Association (APSA) recognized my work with the Hartford Voter Captains Project with the Outstanding Civic Engagement Project Award.

Before pursuing my doctorate, I graduated magna cum laude with departmental honors in Political Science and History from the University of California, San Diego.

You can see the latest version of my C.V. HERE.