Current Sociology PhD Students

Shaun L Michel

Shaun L Michel

Shaun L Michel

Sociology: Computational sociology; simulation models; transit/traffic patterns

Shaun is a PhD student in Sociology whose research emphasizes computational methods, especially simulation modeling and network analysis. His dissertation will provide an in-depth examination of social inequities related to commute times across U.S. cities. 

He obtained his MA in Sociology from East Tennessee State University, where his thesis compared the influential strategies and resource ecology of non-profit organizations to those of corporations by applying techniques from social network analysis and theory. 

Outside of the department, Shaun works with subject matter experts in a variety of fields to develop interactive computer applications. Those applications make it easier to explore complex data and analyze results. To date, these projects have spanned domestic and international domains and have included policy compliance behaviors, identity fraud, and model evaluation, among many other topics. 

Selected Publications

2018. "Investigating the Effects of Network Structures in Massive Agent‐Based Models of Tax Evasion," in Agent‐based Modeling of Tax Evasion: Theoretical Aspects and Computational Simulations. Wiley. doi:10.1002/9781119155713.ch8 

Courses Taught

Shaun has previously taught introductory courses to sociology, but is presently engaged in research in lieu of teaching. 

Education

Ph.D. Sociology, George Mason University (In Progress)

Graduate Certificate: Computational Social Sciences, George Mason University (2015)

M.A. Sociology, East Tennessee State University (2012)

B.S. International Affairs & Politicial Science (2009 - Double Major)