Dr. Kay S. Varela is a Presidential Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. Dr. Varela received her PhD in Sociology from Texas A&M University in 2020. Dr. Varela's research focuses on Critical Race Theory; critical race criminology and punishment; risk assessment; and qualitative methods. Specifically, Dr. Varela's research focuses on the ways in which race, class, and gender impact perceptions of and experiences with public and personal safety. Her research can be found published in journals such as Critical Criminology; Urban Education; Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice; and Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. Prior to joining ASU, Dr. Varela was a Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Social Work at the University of Southern California.