KATHERINE E. DENTZMAN, A.B.D.
Ph.D. Candidate
Department of Sociology
Michigan State University
Tel: (616) 566-4133 Department of Sociology
Email: Michigan State University
509 E. Circle Dr., Rm 317 Berkey
East Lansing, MI 48824-1111
RESEARCH AREAS AND INTERESTS
Environmental Sociology, Industrialized and Alternative Agricultural Systems, Mixed Methods, Place Studies, Agricultural Technology, Local Food Systems, Herbicide Resistant Weed Management, Sustainability, Inequality.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Sociology (expected May 2017)
Michigan State University - Department of Sociology
Thesis: “The Influence of Ideology and Attachment on Farmers’ Management of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds: A Structural Equation Modeling Investigation”
2015 M.A., Sociology – Ecological Food and Farming Systems Specialization
Michigan State University - Department of Sociology
Thesis: “Where is ‘Fun on the Farm’ to be Found?: How Structural Factors Affect the Location of Agritourism Enterprises in Michigan”
(GPA: 3.95)
2011 B.A., Sociology and Environmental Studies (Science Concentration)
Central Michigan University - Department of Sociology - Department of Environmental Studies
Honors Thesis: “Spatial Determinants of CMU Students’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors”
(GPA: 3.91)
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
McCright, A. M., Dentzman, K., Charters, M., & Dietz, T. (2013). The Influence of Political Ideology
On Trust in Science. Environmental Research Letters, 8(4), 044029.
McCright, A. M., Charters, M., Dentzman, K. and Dietz, T. (2015). Examining the Effectiveness of
Climate Change Frames in the Face of a Climate Change Denial Counter-Frame. Topics in
Cognitive Science. doi:10.1111/tops.12171
MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS
Dentzman, K., Gunderson, R., & Jussaume, R.A. (forthcoming) Techno-optimism as a Barrier to Overcoming Herbicide Resistance: Comparing farmer perceptions of the future potential of herbicides by state. Journal of Rural Studies.
Dentzman, K. & Jussaume, R.A. (revise and resubmit) The Ideology of US Agriculture: How are integrated management approaches envisioned? Society and Natural Resources.
Dentzman, K. Where is ‘Fun on the Farm’ Found?: How Structural Factors Affect
Agritourism Location in Michigan.
Dentzman, K. Labor and the Problem of Herbicide Resistance: How Labor Availability Impacts
Weed Management.
CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
Papers Presented:
Katherine E. Dentzman & Raymond Jussaume. 2016. “Ideology and Herbicide Resistance: How individualism and faith in technology motivate dependence on chemical weed control”. Presented at the XIV World Congress of Rural Sociology, August 10th-14th, in Toronto, ON.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2016. “Mixed Methods: A case study and theoretical foundation in relational pragmatism”. Presented at the Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting, August 7th-10th, in Toronto, ON.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2016. “Labor and the Problem of Herbicide Resistance: How labor accessibility influences dependence on chemical weed control”. Presented at the Joint Meeting of the North Central Sociological Association and Midwest Sociological Society, March 23rd-26th in Chicago, IL.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2015. “Where is ‘Fun on the Farm’ Found?: How Structural Factors Affect
Agritourism Location in Michigan”. Presented at the American Sociological Association Annual
Meeting, August 22nd-25th in Chicago, IL.
Katherine E. Dentzman & Raymond Jussaume. 2015. “The Ideology of U.S. Agriculture: Are Integrated
Management Approaches Compatible with Industrial Agriculture?”. Presented at the Rural
Sociological Society Annual Meeting, August 6th-9th in Madison, WI.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2015. “Mechanical Turk for Sociological Survey Research: Opportunities,
Concerns, and Ethics”. Presented at the North-Central Sociological Association Annual Conference, April 10th-11th in Cleveland, OH.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2014. “Rice-Fish Coculture in Japan: Reaching Goals of Sustainability,
Economics, And Society”. Presented at the International Sociological Association World Congress, July 13th-19th in Yokohama, Japan.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2013. “How Rural Communities Become Involved in Agri-tourism: Schemas of
Choice”. Presented at the Hawaii International Conference on the Social Sciences, May 29th-June
1st in Waikiki, Hawaii.
Katherine E. Dentzman. 2013. “Weber and Agri-tourism: Why Rationality Matters”. Presented at the
Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society Conference, June 19th-22nd in East Lansing, MI.
GUEST LECTURES
Mechanical Turk Survey Methods.
Invited along with three other graduate students to give a talk on using Mechanical Turk for survey research in SOC 881- Analysis of Social Data I.
Michigan State University, October 16th, 2013
Rice-Fish Coculture in Japan: Reaching Goals of Sustainability, Economics, and Society.
Invited to give a lecture to current study abroad students in the Environmental Studies in Japan program. Japan Center for Michigan Universities, July 18th 2014, Hikone, Japan
Rice-Fish Coculture in Japan: Reaching Goals of Sustainability, Economics, and Society.
Invited to give a lecture to Environmental Studies graduate students and faculty.
University of Shiga Prefecture, July 23rd 2014, Hikone, Japan
The Sociology of Biotechnology
Invited to give a lecture in Dr. Logan Williams’ class – LB 133, Introduction to History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science.
Michigan State University, October 26th, 2015
TEACHING
Michigan State University
Introduction to Sociology, Spring 2014 (TA – Recitation Section Leader)
Designed and led two class sessions per week, including lecture, discussion, projects, readings, and assignments
Introduction to Sociology, Fall 2013 (TA – Recitation Section Leader)
Designed and led two class sessions per week, including lecture, discussion, projects, readings, and assignments
Sex and Gender, Spring 2013 (TA)
Responsible for grading tests and assignments, developing rubrics, addressing student questions/concerns, and occasional lecturing
Sex and Gender, Fall 2012 (TA)
Designed and taught one lecture per week in addition to grading and addressing student questions/concerns
Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, Spring 2012 (TA)
Responsible for grading tests and assignments, developing rubrics, addressing student questions/concerns, and occasional lecturing
Race and Ethnicity, Fall 2011 (TA)
Responsible for grading tests and assignments, developing rubrics, addressing student questions/concerns, and occasional lecturing
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
June 2014 – Present Research Assistant - Integrating Human Behavior & Agronomic Practices to Improve Food Security by Reducing the Risk & Consequences of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds
Michigan State University
Department of Sociology
PI: Raymond Jussaume
Part of a multi-university interdisciplinary project funded by the USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Conducted extensive literature reviews, led 11 farmer focus groups, developed surveys based on the focus group data, completed written reports and papers, implemented surveys. Collected and cleaned resulting data, conducted complex statistical and qualitative analysis of data, formed reports, and will disseminate information back to farmers.
June-August 2013 Research Assistant - National Environmental Climate Change Survey
Michigan State University
Department of Sociology
PI: Aaron M. McCright
Co-I: Tom Dietz
Co-designed a pilot survey; recruited subjects for an embedded survey experiment; administered the survey through Survey Monkey, collected and cleaned data, conducted own analysis of data.
June-August 2012 Research Assistant - Borderlands Habitat Restoration Initiative, Southeastern Arizona
PI: Gary Nabhan
In charge of designing a pilot survey, recruiting subjects for a mail survey, sending and collecting surveys, organizing data into Excel and SPSS, cleaning of data, analysis of data, presentation of results to members and guests of the Borderlands Habitat Restoration Initiative.
June-August 2010 Research Assistant - University of Shiga Prefecture, Hikone, Japan
University of Shiga Prefecture – School of Environmental Science
Department of Biological Resources Management
PI: Kenji Iwama
Responsible for collection of soil samples from experimental rice paddy plots, analysis of soil
quality (pH, EC, and CEC tests), organizing data into Excel, producing charts and graphs, and presenting results in a final research paper.
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Fall 2014 –
Spring 2016 Undergraduate Education Committee Member
August 2012 International Teaching Assistant Orientation Trainer
RELATED PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Skilled in: Survey Development
Focus Groups
Structural Equation Modeling
Hierarchical Linear Modeling
Exploratory/Confirmatory Factor Analysis
Computer Software:
STATA
SPSS
Mechanical Turk
Survey Monkey
Qualtrics
HLM7
LISREL
LANGUAGES
Spanish – Limited Working Proficiency
Japanese – Elementary Proficiency
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