Curriculum Vitae

Morgan R. Montañez, PhD

Department of Sociology

Radford University

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ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

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• Radford University Assistant Professor of Sociology (2024- present).

• Director of the Center for Social and Cultural Research (2024-present).

• Project Manager, Office of Research, Social and Economic Sciences Research Center (SESRC). Washington State University. Full-Time. (2023-2024).

• Central New Mexico Community College Part-Time Faculty (2021-2023)

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EDUCATION

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Ph.D.Washington State University, Pullman, Sociology, 2023 

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M.A. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Cultural Anthropology, 2017

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B.A. University of Colorado, Denver, Anthropology and Sociology, 2014

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PUBLICATIONS

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Peer Reviewed

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Books:

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Montañez, Morgan. 2026. Inaccessible: Race, Isolation, and the Crisis of Access in Rural New Mexico. Under Contract

with Bloomsbury Academic January 2026, Forthcoming 2027.

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Academic Journal Articles:

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Montañez, Morgan. 2025. ““Medical…We don’t have that”: (Not) Accessing Healthcare in Rural New Mexico.” Journal

of Rural Studies.119: 1-10. 103769.

Montañez, Morgan. 2024. “Nowhere Else to Go” Housing Insecurity in a Hispanic-Majority, Rural County During the

Covid-19 Pandemic.” Rural Sociology. 89(1): 106-129.

Zamora-Kapoor, Anna, Luciana E Herbert, Morgan Montañez, Debra S Buchwald, Kaimi Sinclair. (2021). “Risk factors

for elevated blood pressure and hypertension in American Indian and Alaska Natives, compared to three other racial/ethnic

groups.” Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 23 (4): 717-724.

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Abstracts:

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Zamora-Kapoor. Anna, Luciana E Herbert, Morgan Montañez, Debra S Buchwald, Kaimi Sinclair. 2020. Risk factors for

elevated blood pressure and hypertension in American Indian and Alaska Natives, compared to three other racial/ethnic

groups. (ABSTRACT) Journal of Adolescent Health 66:2 (65-66).Curriculum Vitae — Morgan R. Montañez

 

Submitted

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Montañez, Morgan. 2026. “Inaccessible: Weakened Social Capital and Barriers to Getting by in a Hispanic Majority

Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Rural Sociology. (R&R).

Montañez, Morgan. 2026. “Moral Capital and Racism: How Moral Capital Functions as a Tool of Oppression in a Rural

Minority-Majority Community.” Presented at RSS in 2023, Preparing for Sociology of Race and Ethnicity. -May 2026

 

Planned Submission.

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Montañez, Morgan, Aidan Bridge*. 2026. ““There’s Nothing Here” Mental Healthcare Access in Rural New Mexico”

Prepared for Society and Mental Health. Planned submission May 2026

Manuscripts Under Development

Montañez, Morgan, Kristina Wagner*, Therese Root*. 2026. “Not 911, 211. Insights from Mapping Demand for Aid in

Virginia.” Under preparation for submission to Sociology Compass by May 2026, Finalist for NURVa Undergraduate

Student Research Conference.

Montañez, Morgan. 2026. “Community Research as a Mechanism for Undergraduate Experiential Learning: The Case of

the Center for Social and Cultural Research.” Under preparation for TRAILS.

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CURRENT DISCIPLINARY SERVICE (ELECTED OR NOMINATED POSITIONS)

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National Center for Frontier Communities. Board of Directors. Elected position. (September 2024-Present)

• Secretary (January 2026-Present).

• Chair of the Research Committee (January 2026-Present).

• Interim Chair of the Policy Committee (January 2026-Present).

Rural Sociology Society. Executive Committee Member “Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion.” (2024-2028)

• RSS Diversity Committee Liasson to the Nominations Committee.” (2024-2026)

Rural Sociology Society. Chair of the Rural Race and Ethnicity Research Interest Group. Elected Position (2023-2025;

2025-2027).

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GRANTS

Awarded:

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Radford University Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant Program. 2024-2025 Academic Year.

($10,000). “Unmet Need in Non Metro Virginia: Exploring gaps in medical and aid program coverage in rural counties.”

 

USDA Local Food Promotion Program Grant ($59,610) Co-Investigator along with PI Jess Sappington and Co-PI Rose

Krebill-Prather for the Logistics and Efficiency of Local Food Distribution in Kitsap County Project entire grant award was

$96,683. (2023).

 

Submitted:

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Local Data for Equitable Communities. Spring 2026. ($50,000). “Bridging rural food insecurity: Understanding local

needs for and access to healthy, affordable food in a rural New Mexico County.” Grant through the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation to work with the National Center for Frontier Communities on a community demographic survey for Grant

County New Mexico. Submitted with Project Director: Johannes Lancer and as Co-Director Dr. Morgan Montañez.

Research Associates included: Dr. Shreya Mitra (Project Manager at Radford, Grants Coordinator at NCFC), and Dr.

Kayleigh Ward (University of Colorado, Boulder).Curriculum Vitae — Morgan R. Montañez

 

Not Awarded:

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Local Data for Equitable Communities. Spring 2025. ($50,000). Grant through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to

work with the National Center for Frontier Communities on a community demographic survey for New Mexico non-

adjacent rural counties.

 

Rural Sociological Society Early Career Award. Fall 2025. ($4,500).

 

AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND HONORS

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Received:

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• Elevate Research Faculty Fellowship. 2026-2027 Academic Year. ($1000 and Student Mentorship Support for 1 Class).

• Radford University RISE Fellowship 2025-2026 ($2,500) Training in course development and support for revamping a course. Accepted to 2026 Cohort.

• Radford University LIFT Fellowship Spring 2025. ($1,000) Training in course development and support for updating Survey Research Methods.

• Graduate Student Travel Award. ($200) Section on the Racial and Ethnic Minorities, American Sociological Association. (2022 Declined.).

• ASA Student Travel Award ($250) for ASA Conference in Philadelphia (2018).

• Graduate Teaching Mentor ($500) Oregon State University (2015).

• Pi Theta Kappa Honors Society (2011).

• Miramontes Arts and Sciences Program. ($1000). University of Colorado, Boulder (2009).

 

Nominated:

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• CHBS Distinguished Service Award: Radford University (2026).

• OURS Outstanding Mentor Award. Radford University (2026).

 

Applied for:

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• Diversity Travel Grant. Summer 2026. ($500). Rural Sociological Society travel support award.

• United WE Rural Research Fellowship: 2026-2027 Academic Year ($20,000 plus funding for conference travel).

 

Washington State University Awards and Honors:

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• Herbert Neil and Mary Wensky Scholarship ($3,000). Washington State University (2022).

• Ann Madsen Depew Fund ($2,000) Washington State University Sociology (2022).

• Gordon D. And Izola P. Morgan Fellowship ($3,000) Washington State University Sociology (2021).

• Department of Sociology Graduate Student Excellence Award ($600) Washington State University (2020).

• Gordon D. And Izola P. Morgan Fellowship ($1,500) Washington State University Sociology (2020).

• Foley Fellowship ($1,000) Washington State University (2019).

• Ann Madsen Depew Memorial Fund ($2,000) Washington State University Sociology (2019).

• Gordon D. And Izola P. Morgan Fellowship ($1,000) Washington State University Sociology (2018).

• First Year Summer Fellowship ($1,200) Washington State University Sociology (2018).

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MEDIA & PUBLIC RECOGNITION

Porter, L. (2026). “Applied Research, Real Impact.” Radford Research and Creative Scholarship Quarterly. February 17,

2026.

McCallister, Pam. (2026) “Radford Students Represent Radford in Richmond!” Highlander Highlights. Week of February 23rd, 2026.

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PRESENTATIONS AT SCHOLARLY MEETINGS

Montañez, M. “”It's Impossible" Mental Healthcare Resource Access in Rural New Mexico” Southwestern Social Science

Association Conference in Las Vegas (2025).

Montañez, M. ““Medical? We don’t have that.” (Not) Accessing Healthcare in Rural New Mexico.” Pacific Sociology

Society in San Francisco (2025).Curriculum Vitae — Morgan R. Montañez

Montañez, M. “Environmentally Sustainable Beer? Disconnect Between Grower and Brewer Perceptions of Environmental

Sustainability.” Rural Sociology Society in Madison (2024).

Montañez, M. “Moral Capital and Racism: How Moral Capital Functions as a Tool of Oppression in a Rural Minority-

Majority Community” Southwest Social Science Association in New Orleans (2024).

Montañez, M. “Moral Capital and Ethnicity in a Rural Town: The Role of Moral Capital in a Majority Latine/Hispanic

Community in Northern New Mexico.” Rural Sociology Society in Burlington (2023).

Montañez, M. “Inaccessible: The Weakening of Social Capital and Barriers to Finding Help and Getting by in a Rural,

Hispanic-Majority County During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Rural Sociology Society in Denver (2022).

Montañez, M. “’People are losing places to run.’ Historical Inequalities and Gentrification During the COVID-19

Pandemic” Southwestern Social Science Association in San Antonio (2022).

Montañez, M. Teaching for the Twenty-first Century; How New Tech Can Help...Most of the Time. Paper would have been

given at a panel focused on Graduate Student Teaching at Pacific Sociological Association in Eugene. Canceled

due to COVID19. (2020).

Montañez, M. A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out: Moral Capital and Safety-Net Usage. American Sociological Association in

Philadelphia. (2018).

Montañez, M. Contradiction in the Use of Middle-Class Identity for Low-Income People Experiencing Inequality in

Oregon. Society of the Study of Social Problems in Philadelphia. (2018)

Montañez, M. A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out: How Low-Income Oregonians Negotiate Class and Social Policy. Pacific

Sociological Association in Long Beach. (2018)

Montañez, M., Rosenberger, N. Gleaners: An Alternative Food Network in the Willamette Valley of Central Oregon at

American Anthropological Association in Minneapolis. (2016)

Montañez, M. Contradiction in the Use of Middle Class Identity For Low-Income People Experiencing Inequality in

Oregon. Society for Applied Anthropology in Vancouver. (2016)

Montañez, M. Contradiction in the Use of Middle Class Identity for Low-Income People Experiencing Inequality in

Oregon. School of Language Culture and Society at Oregon State University. (2016)

Montañez, M. Stories of Inequality: Experiences of the Near Poor in Linn and Benton County. Poster Session at the

American Anthropological Association. (2015)

Montañez, M. Stories of Inequality: Experiences of the Near Poor in Linn and Benton County. School of Language Culture

and Society. Oregon State University. (2015)

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

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Radford University

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Courses Taught

Survey Research Methods (Spring 2025, Spring 2026)

Introduction to Research Methods (Fall 2024, Fall 2025)

Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Sociology of Visual Media (Summer 2025)

Honors Introduction to Sociology (Fall 2025)

Sociology of Health and Healthcare (Fall 2025)

Sociology of the Family (Spring 2026)

Social Problems (Summer 2026)

Introduction to Sociological Theory. (Fall 2026)

Applied Sociology- CSCR Experiential Learning (Fall 2026)

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Student Supervision and Mentoring:

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Workshops:

Graduate School Application Mentorship Series. (Fall 2025). 3-Part Workshop series for Sociology seniors

covering an overview of the process, statement of purpose writing, CVs building, methods preparation, and

applications strategies. Provided individualized feedback, advising through the process, and letters of

recommendation. (N=8 Students).

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Internships Supervised: N=7

Independent Study Taught: N= 3

Research Assistants and Tutors Supervised (Work study, work scholarship, and grant funded): N= 17

Honors Capstone Students: N= 1

SURF Grant Students: N= 2

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Venues Where Student Mentored Research was Featured:

Wicked Problems Festival, Radford University, Fall 2025. (8 Students Featured)

Winter Card, Radford University, Fall 2025 (6 Students Featured)

NURVa 2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase. (2 Students Featured, 1 of 2 chosen presentations to

represent Radford).

Southwest Social Science Association, Spring 2026 (5 Students Featured).

Rural Sociological Society. Summer 2026 (3 Students Featured).

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Post Graduate Outcomes:

2025-2026 Academic Year: 4 Students admitted into MA, MS, or MSW Programs- 2 Fully Funded. 1 Student Admitted into Fully funded PhD.

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Courses Developed:

• Social Problems (Summer 2026) Online.

• Introduction to Sociological Theory (Spring, Summer 2026 in prep for Fall 2026). In Person.

• Applied Research Principles Sociology 486. (Spring 2026). In Person. Applied Sociology Experiential Learning Course-

• Reworked Major Requirement- Required Faculty Senate Approval.

• Honors Introduction to Sociology. (Fall 2025). In Person.

• Sociology of Health. (Fall 2025) In Person.

• Sociology of Visual Media (Summer 2025). Online.

• The Family (Proposed course 2025-2026 academic year). In Person.

• Survey Research Methods. (Spring 2025). In Person.

• Introduction to Social Research Methods. (Fall 2024). In Person.

• Introduction to Sociology. (Fall 2024). In Person.

• Social Deviance. (Summer 2022). Asynchronous Online.

• Society and Sustainability. (Spring 2022). Asynchronous Online.

• The Family. (Summer 2021). Asynchronous Online with Synchronous Elements.

• Society and Technology. (Spring 2021) Synchronous Online.

• Sociology of Film. (Fall 2020). Asynchronous Online with Synchronous Elements.

 

Teaching Interests

Undergraduate or Graduate: Sociology of Health and Medicine, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity; Environmental

Sociology; Sociology of Natural Disasters, Latine Sociology; Social Problems; Social Theory; Rural Sociology; Sociology

of Poverty, Research Methods, Qualitative Methods, Survey Methods, and Data Management.

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TEACHING CERTIFICATIONS, PLATFORMS, AND SOFTWARE

• Quality Matters Certificate in Online Teaching. (Spring 2021)

• Online Teaching Certificate One: Central New Mexico Community College. (Fall 2021)

• Online Teaching Certificate Two: Central New Mexico Community College (Fall 2021)

• Online Learning Platforms and Software: D2L, Brightspace, Canvas, Blackboard, Tophat, Screencastomatic, Zoom, Webex, Perusall.

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND ELECTED LEADERSHIP

PUBLIC AND APPLIED SOCIOLOGY

Nourish Food Pantry

• Faculty advisor to 4 undergraduate students in the development of and planning for Nourish Food Pantry. I also advised this nonprofit partnered student group and helped them write their by-laws to become an official campusbentity. I was the first faculty sponsor for this group. This work included working closely with Beans and Rice food pantry as well as the YMCA of Blacksburg. As part of this partnership provided a program assessment for Nourish and B&R pantry through the CSCR.

Feeding Southwest Virginia

• Volunteered with FSV starting fall 2025 and with the plan of completing program assessment at four pantries as part of field work conducted for project looking at access to aid programs and healthcare.

National Center for Frontier Communities

• I serve on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Frontier Communities, where I advise on research strategy and advocate for frontier communities across the United States. My service focuses on strengthening NCFC’s research and evaluation capacity, advancing nationally relevant policy engagement, and positioning NCFC as a leader in frontier data and evidence-based advocacy. As part of this role, I am advising on future research directions for NCFC and contributing to the drafting of NCFC’s public statement regarding the U.S. Census Bureau’s proposed changes to the measurement of Hispanic/Latine populations.

  • Leadership Roles and Responsibilities

    • Secretary (Elected January 2026–Present) Maintain the board calendar; coordinate and distribute Zoom links for board and committee meetings; prepare board meeting agendas; compile staff reports; ensure compliance-related board documentation; and work with staff to manage secure access to proprietary folders (e.g., personnel materials) as required for committee work.

    • Chair, Research Committee (Elected January 2026–Present) Lead the development of evaluation and assessment frameworks for NCFC programming; guide nationally focused frontier research agendas to inform grant funding and new programming; and support research that demonstrates the impacts of national and state policy on frontier communities.

    • Interim Chair, Policy Committee (January 2026–Present) Agreed to serve in an interim capacity to support committee transition. Responsibilities include aligning NCFC programming with national policy engagement, developing a national policy agenda, and reengaging NCFC in national-level policy work.

    • Chair, Committee for Policy and Research (Elected December 2024–January 2026) Led the combined policy and research committee prior to its reorganization into separate standing committees.

Las Lagunitas HOA

• Volunteered time to conduct two focus groups and then design, field, and analyze a community needs survey for a small HOA in La Cienega, New Mexico. (2021-2022).

Survey Design Consultant for Citizens’ Climate Lobby of the Palouse.

• Volunteered time to help CCLP in research design and survey design for a community climate knowledge survey. (2020)

Taos Covid-19 Impact Study

• After volunteering for research during summer 2021, provided a brief of major findings from data—specifically vulnerabilities that nonprofits might consider addressing in Taos. Sent to major stake holders/managers at the nonprofit organizations I volunteered with who requested this information. (2021).

Linn and Benton County Gleaner Nonprofits (14 Nonprofits in total).

• Interviewed 48 participants and conducted 300 hours of participant observation. Located in Linn and Benton Counties, Oregon. At the end of the project, presented a program assessment to all 14 Gleaner groups from findings during participant observation. Informed them about their populations needs and gaps in aid provided. (2014-2017).

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PROFESSIONAL

Rural Sociology Society

Committee Member: Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee (2024-2027).

Committee Member: Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee Liaison to the Nominations Committee (2024-

2026).

Chair of the Rural Race & Ethnicity Research Interest Group (RIG): [Terms served include 2023-2025; reelected for 2025-2027].

Graduate Student Representative to the RSS Council. 2022-2023).

Arapahoe Community College. Informational Alumni Career Contact. (2022- present).

 

Journals Reviewed For

Rural Sociology

Sociological Imagination

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy

Social Sciences

Archives of Public Health

Societies

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UNIVERSITY

Radford University

College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Associate Dean Search. Committee Member. Representative for

the Department of Sociology on the CHBS Associate Dean’s Search Committee. (Spring 2026).

Student-nominated faculty invitee, Radford University Annual Black History Month Brunch. Diversity Awareness

Programming. (February 2026).

Board Member. Institutional Review Board. Beginning February 2026 I joined the Radford IRB. This is an

appointed position. (2026-Present).

RISE Advisory Board Member. Nominated to sit on the RISE advisory board (November 2025- present).

Faculty Representative. Quest Orientation. Worked 5 summer orientation days with Lisa Hite. (Summer 2025).

College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Dean Search. Committee Member. Representative for the

Department of Sociology on the CHBS Dean’s Search Committee. (Fall 2025).

At-Large Faculty Representative. Assessment Sub Committee of the General Education Steering Committee.

Design and oversee the assessment system for the General Education program. Coordinate the creation of rubrics

for all general education components including inquiries, competencies, integrations, and SCHEV outcomes.

Coordinate the creation of signature assignment guidelines. Create data collection tools and reporting mechanisms.

Pilot processes in D2L and link with Institutional Effectiveness for sustainability and accreditation alignment.

Assessment recommendations will go to the appropriate IG committee.

Focus Group Researcher: Appointed to lead the focus group stage of the Assessment Sub Committee by

chair Jessica Stowell. In this I worked with a group of folks to design a focus group interview guide that

could be tailored to and applied to each learning outcome in the new general education.

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DEPARTMENT

Radford University

Department of Sociology Director of African American Studies Search. Committee Member (2025-2026).

Department of Sociology Awards Ceremony Planning Committee (2025-2026)

Nourish Pantry Faculty Sponsor (2026- Present)

Sociology Club Faculty Sponsor (2024-2025)

Curriculum Committee (2024-2025)

Library Liasson for Department of Sociology (2024-2026)

Director of the Center for Social and Cultural Research (2024-Present)

Department Representative Highlander Days. 4/12/2025

Department Representative at Radford Open House. 10/19/2024

 

Washington State University

Working Group on Undergraduate Student Engagement- Department of Sociology. (2022-2023).

Graduate Student Orientation Planning and Design Committee- Department of Sociology. (Summers 2018, 2019).

Sociology Graduate Student Organization (WSU 2017-2022).

Undergraduate Studies Committee (2020-2021).

Teaching Committee (2018-2019).

Awards Committee (2018-2019).

Faculty Meeting Committee (2017-2018).

Graduate Student Mentor (2019-2020).

Co-Founder and President. Sociology Hiking Club- Co-Founded with Michelle Weston. www.sociologyhikingclub.com (2022-2023)

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COMMUNITY

Officer of Elections. Volunteer roles include: Greeter, Pollbook officer, Booth Officer (2024). Assistant Chief Officer

(2025-2027). City of Radford. (2024-2027).

Volunteer Tutor. Boulder County Tutors. (2022)

Member. Resilient American Communities, National Group. (2021)

Volunteer. The Food Depot Santa Fe, New Mexico. (2021)

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INVITED TALKS AND SESSIONS ORGANIZED OR PRESIDED

• “The Center for Social and Cultural Research as a Case Study for Student Experiential Learning: The Virginia 211 Case Study” Invited talk for the Dean’s CHBS Fall Series with students Kristina Wagner and Therese Root. Radford University. (Spring 2026).

• “Rural Aid Program and Healthcare Access: Challenges Regionally and Nationally- A Conversation About Research Being Done at Radford University.” For Waldron College of Health and Human Services at Radford University. (February 2026). Web Recording Available here.

• “Real Research, Real Students: Structuring Undergraduate Involvement in Applied Projects” Our Turn. Radford University. (Fall 2025).

• “Rural Sociological Issues.” Session Presider at the Pacific Sociology Society meeting in San Francisco (March 2025).

• “Structural Racism in Northern New Mexico: Gentrification and Access in Taos.” Invited talk for the Dean’s CHBS Fall Series. (September 2024).

• Organized Round Table Session “Beyond Immigration: Panel Discussion with Sociologists Who Work with Latino/a/e Communities.” For Rural Sociology Society Conference in Madison (July 2024).

• Both helped Organize and was a Panelist for Session “Special Session for Students: Preparing for the Next Steps After Graduate.” At the Rural Sociology Society Conference in Vermont (August 3rd, 2023).

• “Las Lagunitas Community Needs- A Detailed Roadmap to Move Forward.” Presentation to the Las Lagunitas Community. Web meeting to 104 residents of a small, New Mexico community. (March 8th, 2022).

• “Las Lagunitas Community Needs- A Report of Findings.” Brief Presentation to HOA Board of Survey Results. (March 3rd, 2022).

• “Pandemic Impact in Taos County. A Brief of What Went Well and What Needs Work.” Resilient American Communities. Weekly Check in. (September 9th, 2021).

• “Active Learning Techniques: In Person and Online.” Talk given at SGSO Teaching Tea. (Fall 2018)

 

ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATIONS

National Center for Frontier Communities (2024-)

Southern Sociological Society (2024-)

Southwest Social Science Association (2021-)

Resilient American Communities (2021-2023)

Rural Sociological Society (2018-)

American Sociological Association (2018-)

Society for the Study of Social Problems (2018-)

Pacific Sociological Association (2017-)

Society of Applied Anthropology (2014-2017)

American Anthropological Association (2014-2017)

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