Concentration Advisors

Concentration Advisors are Sociology PhD students assigned to the Houses as either a resident or non-resident tutor. They are available to talk with sophomores, juniors, and seniors about the concentration, and may release the electronic advising hold for course enrollment after having an advising conversation. If you'd like to learn more about the discipline, hear about research in the department, or have questions about Sociology courses, reach out to your Concentration Advisor to schedule an appointment. 

Note: Concentration Advisors do not hold advising appointments during the summer. Please schedule an appointment with Rebecca Russell if you need advising from 6/1/2026 - 8/17/2026.

Dylan Nguyen - Adams, Lowell, Quincy

Dylan Nguyen (they/them) is a PhD student in sociology and social policy. Broadly interested in race, place, and immigration, their research seeks to understand how different types of community organizations and institutions contribute to neighborhood wellbeing.

Claudia Nmai - Eliot, Kirkland, Winthrop

Claudia Nmai is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology. Broadly, her research focuses on how the criminal-legal system (re)produces inequality. Her current work explores how encounters with and perceptions of the police shape identity and family life for Black individuals in the U.S. 

Amber Smith - Dunster, Leverett, Mather

Amber Smith (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Sociology. She broadly studies social determinants of health with a passion for maternal and reproductive health. Currently, Amber utilizes social network analysis and spatial analysis to conceptualize abortion inaccessibility. 

Jessica Urzúa - Cabot, Currier, Pfoho

Jessica Urzúa is a Ph.D. student in Sociology and Social Policy. She studies how organizational structures and labor market institutions shape employer market power and workers’ economic and social outcomes. A former Pfoho resident from her time as an undergraduate at Harvard College, Jessica is excited to serve the Quad as a Concentration Advisor.

Rebecca Russell - Dudley 

Email: rrussell@fas.harvard.edu
Schedule an Appointment

Rebecca Russell is the Undergraduate Advising and Program Administrator for Sociology. She oversees degree progress for all concentrators and secondaries in the Sociology department.