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COCO JAMES

Assistant Professor (Lecturer)

Sociology and Criminology

  • Assistant Professor (Lecturer)
    Sociology and Criminology

BIO

Curriculum Vitae

COLLEEN (COCO) M. JAMES

Assistant Professor (Lecturer)

Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Utah

380 S 1530 E

BEH S 410-A

Salt Lake City, UT 84112

coco.james@utah.edu

801-347-6094

 

EDUCATION

 

             2019   Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Utah

A New Approach to the Study of Sexual Violence: The Development and Psychometric Properties of a Preliminary Multi-Item Research Instrument Measuring Rape-Resistant Attitudes.

2015    M.S. in Sociology, University of Utah

2013    B.A. in Sociology, University of Utah

 

CERTIFICATES AND DESIGNATIONS

 

2019    Higher Education Teaching Specialist Graduate Designation, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, University of Utah

2018    Graduate Certificate in Gender Studies, University of Utah

 

 

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

            2022 – present

Assistant Professor (Lecturer), LEAP Academic Learning Communities, University of Utah

            2019 – 2022

                        Associate Instructor, LEAP Academic Learning Communities, University of Utah

            2015 – 2024

                        Adjunct Professor, Health, Society, and Policy Program, University of Utah

            2020 – present

                        Adjunct Professor, Department of Gender Studies, University of Utah

2019    Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Utah

            2016    Adjunct Professor, Department of Sociology, Salt Lake Community College

 

 

RESEARCH POSITIONS

2019    Research Fellow, Salt Lake County Office of Economic Development, State of Utah

 

 

GRANTS & AWARDS

 

 

2024    Early Career Teaching Award, University Teaching Committee, University of Utah

2023    Teach the Rainbow, Women’s Center and LGBTQ Resource Center, University of Utah

2023    Sustainability Teaching Grant, Office of Sustainability, University of Utah

2019    Best Paper, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters

2017    Faculty Recognition Award, Career Services, University of Utah

2017    University Teaching Assistantship, Capstone Curriculum Development for Health, Society, and Policy, University of Utah

2014    Teaching Grant, Innovations in Promoting Student Access and Engagement in an Online General Education Diversity Course, University Teaching Committee, University of Utah, graduate student recipient with Dr. Kim Korinek

2013    George M. Coray Award for Academic Excellence and Service to the Sociology Department, University of Utah

2011    Transfer Scholarship for Honors at Entrance, University of Utah

 

 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING

2024    Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition

2023    Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition

2021    Engaged Faculty Retreat, Utah Campus Community Engaged Network

2020    Faculty Boot Camp for Hybrid Pedagogy, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, University of Utah

 

2015 - 2016

Internship Program Development, University of Utah, College of Social and Behavioral Science

2014    Faculty Boot Camp in Online Pedagogy, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, University of Utah

2013    Peer Advisor, Department of Sociology, University of Utah

 

 

ACADEMIC SERVICE

 

            2024 – present

Faculty Mentor, Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, University of Utah

2023 - present

Member At Large, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters

2023 - present

Community Engaged Learning Committee, Bennion Center, University of Utah

2022    LEAP Pedagogy and Experiential Learning Committee

2019 - 2022    

LEAP Assessment Committee

 

 

STUDENT MENTORING

           

            2022 – present

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program mentor, Elisa Diaz, University of Utah

2020 - present

Doctoral committee member, Kolby Leonardi, Utah State University

2019    Co-author with University of Utah student Mackenzie Hughes, original research   project and subsequent peer-reviewed scholarly article

 

 

2019 - present

Ongoing mentoring of LEAP Peer Advisors, Community Engaged Learning          Assistants, and student researchers

 

 

COURSES DEVELOPED AND TAUGHT

 

 

LEAP 1200 and 1205, Community Engaged Learning LEAP (Fall 2019-present)

LEAP 1210 and 1215, Social and Behavioral Sciences LEAP (Fall 2019-present)

LEAP 1220 and 1225, Sustainable and Equitable Food Systems LEAP (Fall 2020-present)

LEAP 1510, Humanities for STEM LEAP (Summer 2020-present)

LEAP 1100 and 1105, Bridge LEAP (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021)

GNDR 3635, The Price of Gender (Spring 2020-present)

HSP 5000, Capstone Course (Spring 2018, 2020-present)

SOC 4892, Diversity Internship (Spring 2014 – Fall 2018)

SOC 3393, Sociology Internship (Spring 2014 – Fall 2018)

SOC 3993, Diversity Internship (Spring 2014 – Fall 2018)

SOC/GNDR 3337, Sociology of Gender and Sexuality (Summer 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)

SOC 2370, Gender in U.S. Society (Salt Lake Community College, Spring 2016, Summer 2016)

 

 

PEER-REVIEWED WORK

 

 

Hughes, Mackenzie, CoCo James, and Spencer Blake. “Survey of First Experience of Sexual Intercourse: Revisited.” 96 (2019): 309-332.

The Journal of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters,

 

James, CoCo, Chad Morrow, and Spencer Blake. "Anti-Gay Behaviors Among Young Adults: Prevalence, Patterns, and Motivators in a Noncriminal Population (Replicated)." 88 (2011): 546-560.

The Journal of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letter,s

 

James, CoCo, Andrea Santurro, and Spencer Blake. ""Rare, though it shouldn't be": A Virgin's Perspective on Sexual Activity." 87 (2010): 275-281.

The Journal of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters,

 

James, CoCo, Richard Cunningham, and Spencer Blake. "Survey of First Experience of Sexual Intercourse, a Replication." 86 (2009): 287-305.

The Journal of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters,

 

 

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

 

 

James, CoCo. 2011. “Queer Representation in Rock and Roll Lyrics.”

Social Dialogue

 

 

 

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS & LECTURES

 

 

“Honeywell DiversiTEA Time: Supporting Our Queer Coworkers.” Invited lecture, Kansas City National Security Campus, Kansas City, Missouri, August 11, 2021.

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“Peek Pride: Supporting Our Queer Coworkers.” Invited lecture, Peek Creative Studios, Salt Lake City, June 14, 2021 and June 24 2022.

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“Classroom to Coalition: Sending Social Problems Students into the World with Concrete Ideas for Enacting Change.” Invited panelist, From Slums to Sex Workers: Engaging Students in Social Problems sponsored by the Committee on Teaching, Pacific Sociological Association Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon, April 9th, 2017.

 

“The Ins and Outs of Allyship.” Invited lectures given in Queer Studies classes, Salt Lake Community College, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017.

 

“Rape-Supportive Attitudes in Mormon Modesty Rhetoric.” Presentation of research findings, Interdisciplinary Gender Seminar, University of Utah, Spring 2015.

 

“Embodied Construction of Gender in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints through Modesty Rhetoric, Practices, and Policing.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, March 27, 2015.

 

“The Sociology of by Nathanial Hawthorne.” Invited lecture given in Concurrent Enrollment English 1010 classes at Murray High School, Murray, UT, October 15, 2014.

The Scarlet Letter

 

“Slut Shaming and Rape Culture.” Invited lecture given in Adult Roles classes at Murray High School, Murray, UT, October 17, 2014.

 

“Acquaintance Rape and by Laurie Halse Anderson.” Invited lecture given in Honors English classes at Murray High School, Murray, UT, March 21, 2014.

Speak

 

“Gendered Crime and Rape Culture.” Invited lecture given in Government and Law classes at Hillcrest Junior High School, Murray, UT, October 8, 2013.

 

“Antigay Behaviors in a Noncriminal Population.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, April 8, 2011.

 

“A Virgin’s Perspective of Sexual Intercourse.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, April 9, 2010.

 

“Survey of First Experience of Sexual Intercourse.” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, April 10, 2009.

 

 

SELECTED COMMUNITY SERVICE

 

 

Conference Coordinator, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters (2023-2024)

Member at Large, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters, (2022-present)

Executive Board Chair, Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (2018-2020)

LGBTQ+ Inclusivity Training Facilitator, Salt Lake Community College (2018-2020) Founding board member, Yellow for Life Foundation (2017-current)

Board member, Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault (2017-2018)

Founding member, Utah Students Against Sexual Assault (2015)

Founding board member, Frank and Marlene Kikel (FMK) Foundation (2014-2017)

Vice President, Friends of the Murray Library (2011-2014)

Maturation Committee, Murray City School District (2012-2014)

Co-Chair, Sociology Student Advisory Committee, University of Utah (2012-2013) Secretary and Newsletter/Membership Chair, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters (2010-2012)

Conference Coordinator, Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters (2010-2011) Committee member, Utah Pride Festival (2010)

Volunteer, Equality Utah (2015)

Volunteer, Utah Pride Festival (2013-2014)

Volunteer, Utah Parent-Teacher Association (1997-2016)

           

INSTITUTIONAL APPOINTMENTS

  • Assistant Professor (Lecturer)
    Sociology and Criminology1 Jul 2026 - present

DEGREES

  • PhD, Sociology
    University of Utah