Simranjit Steel

Simranjit Steel is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Memphis. She holds a PhD from Rice University (2020) and specializes in the sociological study of religion, with a focus on minority religious communities, race, national belonging, and gender. Her current book project examines Sikh communities in the U.S. and England, comparing Indian-origin Sikhs with white converts to explore intersections of religion, identity, and globalization.

• Education:
• PhD in Sociology, Rice University, 2020

Her research employs qualitative methods to investigate religion’s role in modern contexts, including environmental activism, scientific workplaces, and immigrant experiences. Her work appears in Sociology of Religion, Sociological Quarterly, and Environmental Politics. Teaching interests include religion, race, urban inequality, and introductory sociology/religious studies.

Her scholarship bridges religion’s social and cultural dimensions, addressing topics like science-religion boundaries among Indian scientists, gossip as ethical control in labs, and the environmental politics of religious groups. No scientific awards are listed in the provided materials.

Advising and grants information is unavailable, though her CV may contain further details. She is affiliated with Clement Hall, Room 227, and actively contributes to interdisciplinary dialogues on religion and society.