When I signed my Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to the University of California-Irvine back in April 2019, we were living in a global-health-pandemic free world. Fast forward to July 2020, life is now a series of virtual meetings and reassessments of research projects. Still, I wouldn’t want to pursue any other endeavor.

As a doctoral student, I regularly collaborate with brilliant minds to contemplate, capture, and critique contemporary issues that plague the American criminal justice system. From analyzing ‘fines and fees’ decision-making, to documenting linguistic (in)justice, to investigating death investigation systems; being part of a community that values knowledge dissemination and justice advocacy fills me with hope that social ecological research can help stoke the flames of change.

I’m always happy to make connections, so if anything you read on my site sparks excitement please reach out. Until we can all safely meet again in person, be well.

Meghan Maree Ballard
mmballar@uci.edu