Madhumita "Mita" Banerjee
- Associate Professor and Chair. Faculty Director - Sociology Online Degree Program & The Center for International Studies
- Sociology Department
- Ph.D., Iowa State University, 2005
- PHONE: (262) 595-3418
- EMAIL: banerjee@uwp.edu
- LinkedIn Profile
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Sociology
- Research Methods
- Statistics
- Public Health
- Education
Academic Focus & Teaching
Dr. Banerjee’s pedagogical expertise lies at the intersection of quantitative analysis and social inequality. She instructs students in:
Social Inequality: Specialized courses focusing on income, education, and health disparities.
Methodology: Core training in Statistics and Research Methods, equipping the next generation of sociologists with essential analytical tools.
Research Interests
Her research portfolio is defined by two primary pillars of inquiry:
Sociology of Education: Dr. Banerjee investigates the systemic barriers that hinder underserved and disadvantaged students from reaching their full potential in higher education. Her work aims to identify actionable improvements to enhance educational outcomes and foster equity within the academy.
Sustainability & Smart Cities: Deeply committed to environmental and urban resilience, she explores the relationship between citizen engagement and technological advancement. Her research examines how community readiness can be improved to effectively embrace and adopt smart city technologies.
Teaching, Research/Creative & Consulting Interests
Teaching Interests
Social Inequality, Deviance, Public Health, Sociology of Education, Statistics, and Research Methods.
Research Interests
Her previous research focused on faculty motivation and deterrents in incorporating service learning in teaching and faculty efficacy in service learning.
Consulting Interests
Equity in Experiential Learning, the Digital Divide amongst underserved and underrepresented students, student success in online learning, The Community of Inquiry framework for e-learning, Smart Cities evaluation and research.
Publications
Selected Publications
: Scaling digital engagement in smart city initiatives: Indicators of citizen readiness in small sized urban communities, Journal of Smart Cities and Society
2025: A Community of Inquiry Discourse: Impact of Course Videos on Social Presence and Teaching Presence in the Online Classroom, International Journal on Sustainable Globalization (1-14 pp.)
2024: A Case for Equity in Experiential Learning Work- Based Learning as a Viable Alternative to Internships, Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (12-27 pp.)
2024: Determining the Influence of Learner Characteristics on Online Course Success for Underserved Students in Higher Education., Online Educators Journal (26 pp.)
2023: Citizen Engagement to Transfer Innovation to Regional Development - A survey project to identify citizen needs in small and midsized communities. ,
2022: The Digital Divide and Smartphone Reliance for Disadvantaged Students in Higher Education, Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (31-39 pp.)
2022: Data Analytics for Accountable Care Organizations in a Shifting Landscape of Health and Medicine, Springer Publishing
Selected Awards & Honors
Teaching Awards
2022: Hans O. Mauksch Outstanding Teacher Award, Wisconsin Sociological Association
2022: Stella Gray Early Career Teaching Excellence Award, University of Wisconsin - Parkside
Research/Creative Awards
2023: The award acknowledged advancing scholarly research on underserved and underrepresented students' educational outcomes to eliminate equity gaps in retention and graduation rates for historically underserved student populations. , Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award, UW System
Key Service Activities
College Service
2023: Other - AHC Federal Grant - Refining the Constitutional Democracy Tapestry: The threads of marginalized groups in the shaping of American History
University Service
: Committee Member - Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Committee (FRRC)
: Committee Member - Center for Multidisciplinary Curricula Steering Committee (CMC)
2024: Special Institutional Assignment - University Brand and Messaging Action Team
2023: Task Force Member - Undergraduate Taskforce Team
2020: University Senate Service - Faculty Senate
UW System Service
2019: Committee Member - UW System Math Initiative
Courses Taught
SOCA 248 - Report Writing for Social Sci
SOCA 250 - Statistics for Social Sciences
SOCA 295 - Social Science Research Mthds
SOCA 331 - Deviant Behavior
SOCA 354 - Class, Status and Power
SOCA 354 - Class, Status, and Power
SOCA 375 - Sociology of Education
SOCA 376 - Public Health
SOCA 492 - Internship in Sociology
SOCA 499 - Independent Study:
UWP 294 - Work-Based Learning