Daniela Jauk-Ajamie

Daniela Jauk-Ajamie is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Akron, affiliated with the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Akron and is a Certified Clinical Sociologist. Her research focuses on intersections of gender justice, environmental justice, and criminal justice, with a particular emphasis on marginalized women and LGBTQIA+ populations in carceral settings. She pioneered therapeutic horticulture programs for incarcerated women and advocates for eco-social programming in corrections.

Education: BA in Social Work (1996), MA in Sociology (2002) from the University of Graz, Austria; PhD in Sociology (2013) from the University of Akron as a Fulbright Scholar. Early career included social work, city council roles, and UN advocacy with Sociologists for Women in Society.

Research highlights include:

• Environmental justice in prisons through prison garden initiatives
• Reproductive justice and systemic inequities faced by criminalized women
• Feminist methodologies in applied sociology

Awards include recognition for teaching excellence, community collaboration, and transformative justice work. Active in professional service roles with Sociologists in Women's Studies, the Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology, and international sociological associations. Produces educational podcasts like Corrections Close-Up and Why Sociology?.

Current projects: Co-editing Ecologies of Justice with incarcerated contributors, advancing clinical sociology programs, and exploring decarceration strategies. Serves on boards of the Red Bird Center for Healing and Chagrin Arts.