Alissa Ruth
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Phone: 480-965-4628
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SHESC Bldg TEMPE, AZ 85287
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Mail code: 2402Campus: Tempe
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Alissa Ruth is an educational social scientist and faculty member in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change where she serves as Director of Strategic Initiatives. Her research examines how universities can create more accessible, effective, and transformative environments for social science research training. She studies how students learn to conduct research, how mentoring and research environments shape that learning, and how institutions can design and scale opportunities that support students’ development as researchers.
A central focus of Ruth’s work is undergraduate research and mentorship. Her research on undergraduate research experiences examines course-based, lab-based, and online models for engaging students in authentic social science research. She also studies how undergraduate and graduate students learn systematic social science research methods, how effective mentorship can be structured, and how research environments can foster learning, collaboration, belonging, and increasingly independent research.
Underlying this work is a broader interest in access and inclusion in higher education. Ruth examines how institutional structures and students’ social and cultural resources shape access to educational opportunities. Her earlier research investigated how undocumented immigrant students use social networks to navigate pathways to college. Her current work asks who gains access to high-impact opportunities after entering college and how universities can build research pathways that do not depend on students already understanding higher education’s often-hidden structures.
Ruth directs the Innovation in Social Science Instruction and Training Lab, a hub for developing and studying innovative approaches to social science education and research training. She co-directs the Culture, Health, and Environment Lab, where she trains and mentors students, and serves as Director of Education for the NSF Cultural Anthropology Methods Program. She is also a Social Sciences Division Representative and Secretary for the Council on Undergraduate Research.
Ruth is co-editor of the Handbook of Teaching Qualitative and Mixed Methods: A Step-by-Step Guide for Instructors (Routledge, 2023) and an Assistant Editor for Social Science & Medicine, Anthropology Desk. Her more than two decades in higher education span research, teaching, academic administration, advising and mentoring, curriculum design, online education, and study abroad.
Additionally, Ruth is highly engaged in mentoring students and community members on various college and career pathways. Check out her Getting into Graduate School video series. Students interested in participating in research with Dr. Ruth should apply to the Culture, Health, and Environment Lab - Social Research Training (SoRT) program.
- Ph.D. Anthropology, Arizona State University
- M.S. Justice Studies, Arizona State University
- B.A. Anthropology, University of Florida
Educational Anthropology; Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning; Research Mentorship; Social Science Methods Training; Learning Environments and Pedagogy; Access and Opportunity in Higher Education; Student Belonging and Development; First-Generation College Students; Immigration and Education; Ethnographic and Qualitative Methods
See google scholar for full list.
Ruth, A., C. SturtzSreetharan, M. Beresford, A. York, A. Wutich, R.G. Nelson, J. Maupin, M. Jehn, E. Ilboudo Nébié, D. Hruschka, E. Estrada, C. Drummond Otten, S. BurnSilver & A. Brewis. (2026). Mentoring in the Social Science Laboratory: Advancing Graduate Student Research & Training, Mentoring and Tutoring: A Partnership in Learning, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2026.2660644
Ruth, A. C. SturtzSreetharan, M. Beresford, A. Brewis, S. BurnSilver, C. Drummond Otten, E. Estrada, D.J. Hruschka, E. Ilboudo Nébié, M. Jehn, J.N. Maupin, R.G. Nelson, A. Wutich & A. York. (2026). How to Organize Undergraduate Lab Training: Evidence from 10 Working Social Science Research Labs. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2026.2654663
Harper, K., A. Ruth, B. Howard, L.M. Radonic, R. Negrón, A. Wutich, H.R. Bernard, E. Ilboudo Nébié, A.D. Roque, M. Beresford, M. Scott Figueroa, R.G. Nelson, & K. Mayfour. (2026). Teaching and Learning Participatory Methods in Anthropology: Recognizing and Overcoming Significant Obstacles. Teaching and Learning Anthropology, 8(1): 54-85 (in press)
Ruth A., C. SturtzSreetharan, M. Beresford, A. Brewis, S. BurnSilver, C.R. Caseldine, E. Estrada, D. Hruschka, M. Jehn, E. Ilboudo Nébié, K.J. Knudson, M.V. Kroot, J. Maupin, K. Michelaki, C. Morehart, R.G. Nelson, C. Drummond Otten, M.A. Peeples, K.L. Ranhorn, M.E. Smith, C.M. Stojanowski, A. Wutich & A. York. (2025). Online Student Engagement in Social Science Research Laboratories: Expert Advice on the Opportunities and Challenges. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 8(4):31-38. https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/8/4/4
Ruth, A., A.I. Oyewole, R.G. Nelson, A. Giles, A.L. Molina Jr., & M. Trejo. (2025). School Choice and Neighborhood Relationships in Urban Areas: An Exploratory Study in Arizona. Education and Urban Society, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/00131245251328697
Ruth, A., A. Wutich & H.R. Bernard (Eds). (2023). The Handbook of Teaching Qualitative and Mixed Research Methods: A Step-by-Step Guide for Instructors. Oxford, England: Routledge https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003213277
Ruth, A., A. Brewis, M. Beresford & C.M. Stojanowski. (2023). Research Supervisors and Undergraduate Students’ Perceived Gains from Undergraduate Research Experiences in the Social Sciences. International Journal of Inclusive Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2023.2288642
Ruth A., A. Brewis, M. Beresford, M.E. Smith, C.M. Stojanowski, C. SturtzSreetharan & A. Wutich. (2023). Lab-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (LUREs): Evidence of Effectiveness from the Social Sciences. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 7(1): 43-53. https://doi.org/10.18833/spur/7/1/3
Ruth, A., K. Mayfour, J. Hardin, T. Sangaramoorthy, A. Wutich, HR. Bernard, A. Brewis, M. Beresford, C. SturtzSreetharan, BMKJ. Brayboy, HJF. Dengah II, CC. Gravlee, G. Guest, K. Harper, P. Mahdavi, SM. Mattison, M. Moritz, R. Negrón, BA. Piperata, JG. Snodgrass & R. Zarger. (2022). Teaching Ethnography: The State of the Art. Human Organization, 81(4): 401-412. https://doi.org/10.17730/1938-3525-81.4.401
Ruth, A., A. Brewis, C. SturtzSreetharan, A. Wutich & C. Stojanowski. (2022). Effectiveness of Online Social Science Undergraduate Research Experiences: Exploratory Evidence. Frontiers in Education, https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.849908
Ruth, A., K. Mayfour, T. Sangaramoorthy, BMKJ. Brayboy, M. Beresford, A. Brewis, HR. Bernard, M. Glegziabher, J. Hardin, K. Harper, P. Mahdavi, JG. Snodgrass, C. SturtzSreetharan, A. Wutich. (2022). Teaching Ethnographic Methods for Cultural Anthropology: Current Practices and Needed Innovation. Teaching Anthropology, 11(2):59-72. https://doi.org/10.22582/ta.v11i2.634
Beresford, M., A. Wutich, A. Brewis, M. du Bray, A. Ruth, R. Stotts & C. SturtzSreetharan. (2022). Coding Qualitative Data at Scale: Lessons Learned for Large Coder Teams Based on 18 Studies. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069221075860
Ruth, A., A. Brewis & C. SturtzSreetharan. (2021). Effectiveness of Social Science Research Opportunities: A Study of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). Teaching in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1903853
Ruth, A., C. SturtzSreetharan, A. Brewis & A. Wutich (2020). Structural Competency of Pre-Health Students: Can a Single Course Lead to Meaningful Change? Medical Science Educator. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-019-00909-9
Ruth, A. & E. Estrada. (2019). DACAmented Homecomings: A Brief Return to Mexico and the Reshaping of Bounded Solidarity among Mixed-Status Latinx Families. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences. May 43(2): 145-165 https://doi.org/10.1177/0739986319843112
Ruth, A., E. Estrada, S. Martinez-Fuentes & A. Vazquez-Ramos. (2019). Soy de aqui, Soy de alla: DACAmented Homecomings and Implications for Identity and Belonging. Latino Studies. Fall 17(3): 304-322 https://doi.org/10.1057/s41276-019-00197-9
Ruth, A., A. Wutich & A. Brewis. (2019). A Model for Scaling Undergraduate Research Experiences: The Global Ethnohydrology Study. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters. March 37(1): 25-34
Ruth, A. (2018). Attaining the College Dream: The Effects of Politics on the Social Capital of First-Generation Undocumented Immigrant Students. Human Organization. March: 77(1) https://doi.org/10.17730/1938-3525.77.1.22
Ruth, A., A. Brewis, D. Blasco & A. Wutich. (2018). Long-term Benefits of Short Term Research-Integrated Study Abroad. Journal of Studies in International Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315318786448
Visit the Innovation in Social Science Instruction and Training (ISSIT) lab projects page for a list of current and past projects.
Courses
2026 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
2026 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| ASB 300 | Food and Culture |
| ASB 300 | Food and Culture |
| ASB 370 | Ethics of Eating |
| ASB 370 | Ethics of Eating |
| ASB 302 | Ethnographic Field Study |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 455 | Practicum for Soc Sci |
| ASB 455 | Practicum for Soc Sci |
2025 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| ASB 443 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| SSH 403 | Cross-Cultrl Studies Glbl Hlth |
| ASB 300 | Food and Culture |
| ASB 300 | Food and Culture |
| ASB 370 | Ethics of Eating |
| ASB 370 | Ethics of Eating |
| ASB 302 | Ethnographic Field Study |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 102 | Intro to Cultural Anthropology |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 455 | Practicum for Soc Sci |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 421 | Education and Society |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 493 | Honors Thesis |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 792 | Research |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 484 | Internship |
| ASB 455 | Practicum for Soc Sci |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| ASB 790 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 799 | Dissertation |
| ASB 590 | Reading and Conference |
| ASB 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| ASB 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| ASB 592 | Research |
| ASB 421 | Education and Society |
| ASB 394 | Special Topics |
Ruth has overseen cutting-edge curricular projects including online programs, undergraduate research, and study abroad programs. An example of a project she managed was ASM 246 Human Origins--an open, digitally enabled course for ASU’s Global Freshman Academy.