Positions
Education
- Dissertation: “From South Asia to the Southern US: Exploring South Asian Racial Identity, Religion, and Collective Action in Texas”
- Committee: Jenifer Bratter (Chair), Elaine Howard Ecklund, Max Besbris, Anna Rhodes, and Kamala Visweswaran
- Comprehensive Exam: High Pass
- Thesis: “Negotiating Race in a Climate of Islamophobia: How Muslim and Sikh Americans Perceive Discrimination and Construct Racialized Religious Identities”
- Committee: Elaine Howard Ecklund (Chair), Jenifer Bratter, and Anna Rhodes
- Winner: 2019 Seth Balkishan Das Singhal Student Paper Award, Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality (CSWGS), Rice University
- Sociology Minor
- Magna Cum Laude
Research Interests
Race and Ethnicity, Racism, Racialization, Religion, Gender, Intersectionality, Asians and Asian Americans, Identity, Collective Action
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Book Reviews and Other Publications
Manuscripts In Progress
Research Experience
- Manage research design, IRB protocol submission, data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation for two original, qualitiative research projects
- Projects examine how religiously diverse South Asians in Texas perceive and negotiate the lived impacts of racism in their everyday lives, how community members respond to these challenges civically, politically, and in their local communities through collective action, and the challenges and opportunities of building racial solidarity on the ground
- Conducted over 90 in-depth, semi-structured interviews for both projects with community members, leaders, and organizers across Texas
- Awarded over $20,000 in research grants and awards in support of research
- Presented findings at several national sociological and interdisciplinary conferences
- Collaborate with fellow graduate student and faculty team members on several journal articles (one published, three invites to revise and resubmit, one in progress) examining the racialization of Asian and multiracial communities in the US by conducting literature reviews, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and writing manuscripts
- Participate in weekly team meetings, support fellow graduate student and faculty team members in their research trajectories, and assist the advancement of larger research projects
- Lead and collaborate on numerous articles for publication (six currently in print) that examine diverse aspects of religion in public life, including the intersection of race, racism, and religion
- Contribute to multiple large-scale research projects at diverse stages, including designing and reviewing research instruments (e.g., interview guides, surveys), collecting data (e.g., conducting interviews), and analysis (e.g., coding, quantitative analysis of survey data)
- Support public engagement of program by attending and volunteering at events, speaking on panels, and promoting an event on a radio interview with NPR Houston Matters
- Assisted Dr. Melissa Wilde with content analysis of historical texts and data organization in support of developing book project (Birth Control Battles 2019)
- Assisted with survey scanning and data cleaning for statistical analyses assessing the progress of diverse after school programs throughout the Greater Philadelphia area
- Synthesized and analyzed molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) designed to trap Bisphenol-A (BPA) from water and assisted with literature research, data analysis, and manuscript writing under the guidance of Dr. Lynn Penn
- Conducted multi-step synthetic organic chemistry in the Malachowski group toward the development of a natural product, which culminated in a senior thesis and contributed to a collaborative publication in Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Grants, Fellowships & Awards
External Grants and Awards
- 2020: Religious Research Association (RRA), Constant H. Jacquet Research Award ($4,000)
- 2020: Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR), Student Research Grant ($3,000)
- 2019: American Sociological Association (ASA), Student Forum Travel Award ($250)
- 2019: American Sociological Association (ASA) Religion Section, Student Travel Grant ($250)
- 2019: Society for the Study of Social Problems (SSSP), Lee Student Support Fund ($150)
- 2017: Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR), Student Travel Grant ($500)
Internal Grants and Awards
- 2023: Nominated for the John W. Gardner Best Dissertation Award in the Social Sciences by the Department of Sociology, Rice University
- 2022-2023: Teaching Fellowship, Department of Sociology, Rice University ($29,500)
- 2021-2022: Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance Fellowship ($25,000), Rice Sociology ($4,500)
- 2021: Min Zhou Research Grant, Department of Sociology, Rice University ($1,500)
- 2020: Social Sciences Research Institute (SSRI), Rice University, Dissertation Research Improvement Grant ($4,963)
- 2020: Ida B. Wells Award in Public Sociology (Inaugural), Rice University ($300)
- 2020: Nominated for Graduate Teaching Award for Course Support, Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Rice University
- 2019: Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality (CSWGS), Rice University, Seth Balkishan Das Singhal Student Paper Award ($1,000)
- 2018: Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance, Rice University, Research Grant ($5,600)
- 2017: Social Sciences Research Institute (SSRI), Rice University, Conference Travel Grant ($400)
- 2016-2021: 5-year Graduate Fellowship, Department of Sociology, Rice University ($27,500/year)
Teaching Experience
Sociology of Asians and Asian Americans (SOCI 311)
- New course: proposed, designed, and taught new course offering in Spring 2023
Delivered guest lectures in several classes in the Department of Sociology (Research Methods, Social Theory, Sociology of Immigration)
- 2022: Religion, Gender, and Inequality (SOCI 410)
- 2021: Mixed Methods, Research Methods (SOCI 381)
- 2020: Religion and Immigration, Sociology of Immigration (SOCI 430)
- 2018: Gender, Religion, and Immigration, Sociology of Immigration (SOCI 451)
- 2018: Race and Racism, Social Theory (SOCI 380)
- 2018: Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Social Theory (SOCI 380)
- 2018: Foundations of Modern Social Theory, Social Theory (SOCI 380)
- 2017: Race and Racism, Social Theory (SOCI 380)
- Led workshops for religious literacy trainings hosted by the Boniuk Institute at Rice University for Houston Independent School District (HISD) teachers eager for resources to develop more inclusive curriculum in their middle and high school social studies classrooms
- Was a guest speaker for a class in Ethnographic Research in/of Houston Asia (ASIA 305)
- Served as a teaching assistant for Social Theory (SOCI 380) in Fall 2017 and Fall 2018
- Attended classes, held weekly office hours, graded student papers and exams, provided detailed feedback, managed course Canvas site, supported students navigating administrative and substantive course challenges, and provided curricular support to instructors
- Coordinated the smooth operation of the organic chemistry teaching lab
- Provided extensive instructional support to undergraduate and postbaccalaureate students taking course (CHEM 245), in addition to graduate student teaching assistants
- Supervised undergraduate student workers, prepared materials for experiments, and managed instrument maintenance and purchasing for all lab needs
- Provided interpersonal and academic support to high school students, as well as extensive curricular and administrative support to the classroom teacher
- Served as a resource for students taking General Chemistry (CHEM 101, 103, 104) by assisting with weekly lab experiments, grading lab reports, and leading office hours
Advanced Training
Conference Presentations
2023
Paper Accepted. Xiaorui Zhang, Sharan Kaur Mehta, Jenifer Bratter, and Shahill Parsons. "Layers of Panethnic Boundaries: Disaggregating Asian American Intermarriage." American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA, August 17-21.2022
Paper Accepted. Sharan Kaur Mehta. “Building Solidarity to #StopAsianHate: How South Asians Negotiate the Boundaries of the Asian Category.” American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. *Did not attend due to Covid-19
2021
Sharan Kaur Mehta. Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Annual Meeting. "What 'Counts' as Anti-Asian Racism? Exploring South Asian Collective Action Across Religious Traditions in Texas." October 16.
Sharan Kaur Mehta, Rachel C. Schneider, Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar, and Elaine Howard Ecklund. Regular Session at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. "From Church to the Workplace: How White Christians Produce Racial Ignorance and Inequality." Virtual, August 6-10.
Sharan Kaur Mehta. Referred Roundtable at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. "Boundaries of Asian-ness? Exploring South Asian Racial Identity and Activism in Texas."" Virtual, August 6-10.
2020
Paper Accepted for Roundtable at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar, Sharan Kaur Mehta, and Esther Chan. "Comparing Confidence in Institutions: Exploring Differences Among Latino and White Catholics and Evangelicals." *Did not attend due to Covid-19
Paper Accepted for Roundtable at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Esther Chan, Sharan Kaur Mehta, and Elaine Howard Ecklund. "Fertilizing Morality: Abortion, Confidence in Science, and the Shaping of Moral Attitudes Towards Reproductive Technologies." *Did not attend due to Covid-19
Abstract Accepted for Critical Dialogue at Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting. Sharan Kaur Mehta, Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar, Rachel C. Schneider, and Elaine Howard Ecklund. ""Beyond Toolkits: How White Christians Produce Racial Ignorance and Inequality in the Workplace through Religious Frames." *Cancelled due to Covid-19
2019
Rachel Afi Quinn, Eesha Pandit, Gayatri Joshi, and Sharan Kaur Mehta. "South to South – Transnational feminist collectivity from South Asia to the Southern US." Roundtable at National Women’s Studies Association Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA. November 14-17.
Elaine Howard Ecklund, Sharan Kaur Mehta, and Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar. "‘God Sees No Color’ So Why Should I? Producing White Ignorance Through Religious Frames." Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Annual Meeting. St. Louis, MO. October 25-27.
Sharan Kaur Mehta and Jauhara Ferguson. "#Blessed? The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media for Muslims and Jews in the US." Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Annual Meeting. St. Louis, MO. October 25-27.
Sharan Kaur Mehta. "How Muslim and Sikh Americans Perceive Discrimination and Negotiate Race in a Climate of Islamophobia." Section Session at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. New York, NY. August 10-13.
Sharan Kaur Mehta. "Fertilizing Morality: The Effect of State Context on Moral Attitudes Around In-Vitro Fertilization." Association for the Sociology of Religion Annual Meeting. New York, NY. August 11-13.
Jauhara Ferguson, Sharan Kaur Mehta, and Elaine Howard Ecklund. "Muslim Scientists’ Perceptions of Inclusion in the Scientific Workplace: A Cross-National Pilot Assessment." Referred Roundtable at The Society for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting. New York, NY. August 9-11.
Sharan Kaur Mehta. "Building Coalitions among Muslims and Sikhs in the US: Opportunities and Barriers." Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality (CSWGS) Annual Symposium. Rice University. April 5.
2018
Sharan Kaur Mehta, Esther Chan, and Elaine Howard Ecklund. "Fertilizing Morality: The Role of Religion in Shaping Moral Attitudes Around In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)." Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Annual Meeting. Las Vegas, Nevada. October 26-28.
Sharan Kaur Mehta and Robert A. Thomson Jr. "Scientific versus Religious Tools? The Construction of Political Identities among American Scientists." Referred Roundtable at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA. August 10-14.
Sharan Kaur Mehta. "Being American in a Climate of Islamophobia: How Muslim and Sikh Americans Negotiate Their National Identities." Association for the Sociology of Religion Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA. August 12-13.
Esmeralda Sánchez Salazar, Sharan Kaur Mehta, and Esther Chan. "Race, Religion and Confidence in Institutions: Exploring Differences Among Latino and White Catholics and Protestants." Association for the Sociology of Religion Annual Meeting. Philadelphia, PA. August 12-13.
Sharan Kaur Mehta and Robert A. Thomson Jr. "Gender and Religion Among Scientists: A Cross National Study." Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality (CSWGS) Annual Symposium. Houston, Texas. Rice University. April 13.
2017
Sharan Kaur Mehta, Robert A. Thomson Jr., and Elaine Howard Ecklund. "Gender and Religion Among Scientists: A Cross National Study." Society for the Scientific Study of Religion Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. October 13-15.
Sharan Kaur Mehta, Robert A. Thomson Jr., and Elaine Howard Ecklund. "How Religious and Political Identities Intersect for US Scientists." Association for the Sociology of Religion Annual Meeting. Montreal, Quebec. August 13-14.
Ecklund, Elaine Howard, Robert A. Thomson Jr., Daniel Bolger, and Sharan Kaur Mehta. "Perceptions of Discrimination in Global Science." Regular Session at American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Montreal, Quebec. August 12-15.
Invited Talks, Presentations & Media
2021
Invited speaker, Houston Independent School District (HISD) Educator Training on Religious Literacy. “Lived Experiences of South Asian and Arab Muslims and Sikhs in Houston.” Organized by the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance at Rice University. March 11.
2020
Invited guest speaker, "Faith in Our City: The Sikh Tradition.” Virtual event organized by Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston. September 15.
Invited speaker, Houston Independent School District (HISD) Educator Training on Religious Literacy. "Sikhism in America." Organized by the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance at Rice University. June 23. *Cancelled due to Covid-19
2019
Invited speaker with Elaine Howard Ecklund, "International and Intersectional Perspectives of the Global Study of Religion and Science." Contextuality and Universality in Science and Religion Consultation. Oxford University. Oxford, England. April 29-May 1.
Invited speaker, Houston Independent School District (HISD) Educator Training on Religious Literacy. "What is Sikhism?" Organized by the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance at Rice University. March 30.
Invited panelist with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Robert A. Thomson Jr., "Islamophobia Teach-In." Rice University. Hosted by the Boniuk Institute for Religious Tolerance and Religion and Public Life Program. March 27.
Invited panelist, We’ve Got How Many Religions in Houston? Some of the Lesser Known Religions in the Bayou City and Their Contributions." Organized by Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston. February 17.
Invited panelist with Elaine Howard Ecklund and Robert A. Thomson Jr., "Religion and the University." Rice University. Hosted by the Boniuk Council. January 29.
Interview for Houston Matters with Elaine Howard Ecklund, "Religion and the University," Houston Public Media NPR. January 29. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/shows/houston-matters/2019/01/29/319424/what-role-does-religion-play-on-college-campuses
Academic Service & Community Engagement
Houston Coalition Against Hate, Houston, Texas
Representative Member, South Asian Youth in Houston Unite (SAYHU)
2020 - Present
South Asian Youth in Houston Unite
Community Member
2017 - Present
Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Rice University
Graduate Student Liaison, Department of Sociology
2019 - 2021
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)
Shand International Travel Committee, Committee Member
2019 - 2020
Graduate Honor Council, Rice University
Social Science Representative
2017 - 2020
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)
Annual Meeting Graduate Student Ambassador
2019
Interfaith Philadelphia
Event Coordinator, Intern, and Volunteer Representative
2006 - 2016
Bryn Mawr College
Senior Major Representative, Department of Chemistry
2011 - 2012
Bryn Mawr College
Curriculum Committee Student Representative
2011 - 2012
Bryn Mawr College
Community Diversity Assistant, Office of Intercultural Affairs
2010 - 2011
Service at Academic Conferences
Sociologists for Women in Society (SWS) Winter Meeting
Moderator, Roundtable, "Gender, Identity and Relationships"
2021
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR)
Convener, Author Meets Critics Session, "Secularity and Science: What Scientists Around the World Really Think About Religion."
2019
American Sociological Association (ASA) Annual Meeting
Table Presider, Student Forum Referred Roundtable Session, "Race, Gender, and Sexuality: Across Institutions and Movements."
2018
Ad Hoc Reviewer Ethnicities, Religions
Professional Memberships
Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Race, Class, and Gender
International Migration
Religion
Science, Knowledge, and Technology
Asia and Asian America Studies
Collective Behavior and Social Movements
Sociological Practice and Public Scholarship
Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Conflict, Social Action, and Change
Sociologists for Women in Society (2021 - Present)
Religious Research Association (2020 - Present)
National Women’s Studies Association (2019 - Present)
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (2017 - Present)