Faculty Profile

Sarah Ryan

Title
Associate Professor
Department
Information Science
College
College of Information

    

    

      


                          

            
Curriculum Vitae

            

              Click Here to View Faculty CV
            

          

        
                          

            
Education

            



  

  


  
JD, Quinnipiac School of Law, 2017. 
Major: Law
Degree Specialization: General Law/Health Law
MLS, Texas Woman's University, 2012. 
Major: Library Science
Degree Specialization: Internship at the University of Texas at El Paso library; Practicum in UTEP Special Collections (C. Rivers, supervisor)
PhD, Ohio University, 2006. 
Major: Rhetorical Criticism
Degree Specialization: Communication
Dissertation Title: An absence of debate: An investigation of rhetorical democracy in media coverage of abstinence and welfare from 1992-2000
Certificate, Ohio University, 2005. 
Major: Women's Studies
MA, Ohio University, 2001. 
Major: Interpersonal Communication
BA, Capital University, 1997. 
Major: Organizational Communication/Spanish





          

        
                

          
Current Scheduled Teaching*


          
INFO 5366.001, Law Library Management, Spring 2024 
INFO 5080.020, Research Methods and Analysis, Spring 2024 
INFO 5000.020, Information and Knowledge Professions, Fall 2023 Syllabus
INFO 5647.001, Legal Information and Access Services, Fall 2023 Syllabus
INFO 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2023 
INFO 6900.034, Special Problems, Fall 2023 


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  


    

    

      


        


          


            
Previous Scheduled Teaching*


            
                    

                    INFO 5709.020, Data Visualization and Communication, Spring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    INFO 5366.001, Law Library Management, Spring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    INFO 4080.020, Research Methods and Evaluation, Spring 2023 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    INFO 6900.034, Special Problems, Spring 2023 
                    

                    INFO 5000.002, Information and Knowledge Professions, Fall 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    INFO 5900.704, Special Problems, Fall 2022 
                    

                    INFO 5000.002, Information and Knowledge Professions, Spring 2022 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    INFO 6900.704, Special Problems, Spring 2022 
                    

                    INFO 5000.003, Information and Knowledge Professions, Fall 2021 Syllabus SPOT
                    

                    INFO 5000.005, Information and Knowledge Professions, Fall 2021 Syllabus SPOT

          


          
*
  Texas Education Code 51.974 (HB 2504) requires each institution of
  higher education to make available to the public, a syllabus for
  undergraduate lecture courses offered for credit by the institution.
  

        

      

    

  

  
  	

	

	  

		

		   
Published Publications



  

  
Published Intellectual Contributions


  
Book
Ryan, S.  (2022). Empirical Legal Research Services. University of North Texas Libraries. 
Rohrleitner, M. C., Ryan, S. E. (2013). Dialogues Across Diasporas: Women Writers, Scholars, and Activists of Africana and Latina Descent in Conversation. Lexington Books. 
Book Chapter
Ryan, S. E., Evans, S. A., Hawamdeh, S. M. (2023). Public Libraries as Key Knowledge Infrastructure Needed to Empower Communities, Promote Economic Development, and Foster Social Justice. How Public Libraries Build Sustainable Communities in the 21st Century. Emerald. 
Ryan, S. E., Evans, S. A., Hawamdeh, S. M. (2023). Public Libraries as Key Knowledge Infrastructure Needed to Empower Communities, Promote Economic Development, and Foster Social Justice. Public Libraries as Key Knowledge Infrastructure Needed to Empower Communities, Promote Economic Development, and Foster Social Justice. 53, 203-218.  Leeds, England: Emerald Publishing Limited. 
Ryan, S.  (2016). Reconciliation via compulsory communal labor: Opportunities and challenges facing post-colonial Rwanda. In P.M. Kellett & T.G. Maytok (eds.) Communication and conflict transformation: Local to global engagements.  Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. 
Ryan, S. E., Murta, M. S. (2013). In M. Rohrleitner & S. Ryan (eds.) Constrained activism: National agendas versus local activities in non-governmental organizations serving diasporic women. Dialogues across Diasporas Women Writers, Scholars, and Activists of Africana and Latina Descent in Conversation. Lexington Books. 
Ryan, S.  (2013). Introduction: Dialogues across diasporas: Africana? Chicana? Latina? No, Afro-Latina!. In M. Rohrleitner & S. Ryan (eds.) Constrained activism: National agendas versus local activities in non-governmental organizations serving diasporic women.  Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. 
Ryan, S. E. (2011). The matatus take you everywhere: Reflections on the value of international/intercultural communication training from the Rwanda Research Group. Topical problems of communication and culture. 264-279. Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University. 
Ryan, S. E., Balocating, A.  (2010). We snuck up on the roof: The widows of Duhozanye rebuild their community. Collaborative Answers to community problems in Save, Rwanda. Social Justice Wisdom Series. 1-8. University of Texas at El Paso. 
Schwartz, R., Williams, D. W., Ryan, S. E. (2007). The New York Police Officer: Democratic and Moral Accountability in Conflict. Accountability Cases. American Society for Public Administration. 
Book Review
Ryan, S.  (2021). The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching. Other. 7(1), . National Association of Communication Centers. 
Ryan, S. E. (2009). Reclaiming the relevance of journalism: The case of the Clarion-Ledger. Review of Communication. 9(2), 172-175. 
Conference Proceeding
Ryan, S. E., Rashid, M.  (2023). Systematic Review of Diversity and Curriculum Improvement Case Studies: Lessons for Inclusion and Research Instruction in Library and Information Science Programs. ALISE (Association of Library and Information Science Educators). 
Ryan, S.  (2007). Child malnutrition in Africa: Opportunities for communication and social change. 186 pp.  New York, NY: City University of New York. 
Critical Review
Ryan, S. E. (2009). Born into brothels: Calcutta’s red light kids. Films for the Feminist Classroom. 1(1), . 
Ryan, S. E. (2009). Quincea\~nera. Films for the Feminist Classroom. 1(1), . 
Encyclopedia Article
Ryan, S.  (2013). Childcare. Encyclopedia of Undocumented Immigrants.  Greenwood, CT: ABC CLIO. 
Ryan, S.  (2013). Children. Encyclopedia of Undocumented Immigrants.  Greenwood, CT: ABC CLIO. 
Ryan, S. E. (2013). Children’s malnutrition as a women’s issue. The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World, Second Edition. Sage. 
Ryan, S.  (2013). Human rights activism. The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today’s World.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 
Instructor's Manual
Ryan, S.  (2014). Finding & using data and statistics. 22nd National Legal Research Teach-in Training Kit. 24pp..  Chicago, IL: American Association of Law Librarians. 
Ryan, S.  (2003). Public Administration in modern society: An exploration of primary texts through a debate centered curriculum. 170pp.  New York, NY: Baruch College. 
Ryan, S.  (2003). Think college now: College preparation program for 9th graders. 63pp.  New York, NY: Baruch College. 
Journal Article
Ryan, S. E. (2023). From Humble Standpoint to Research and Back: Measuring, Assessing, and Improving How We Teach Diversity. Other. 42(3/4), . Legal Reference Services Quarterly. 
Ryan, S. E., Rashid, M., Ali, I.  (2023). Data-Driven Empirical Research Costing: Using Scholarly Literature, Open Government Data, and Formative Case Studies to Plan Projects. 115(2), 227-253. American Association of Law Libraries. 
Ryan, S. E., Hong, L., Rashid, M.  (2023). From Corpus Creation to Formative Discovery: The Power of Big Data-Rhetoric Teams and Methods. Review of Communication. 23(1), . National Communication Association. 
Sovacool, B. K., Ryan, S. E. (2016). The geography of energy and education: Leaders, laggards, and lessons for achieving primary and secondary school electrification. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 58, 107-123. 
Ryan, S., Ryan, S., Stern, P., Janda, K., Rochlin, G., Spreng, D., Pasqualetti, M., Wilhite, H., Lutzenhiser, L.  (2015). Integrating social science in energy research. Other. Energy Research & Social Science. 6, 95-99. 
Ryan, S.  (2015). Teaching empirical legal study design: Topics & resources. Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing. 23(2), 152-157. 
Ryan, S. E., Hebdon, C., Dafoe, J.  (2014). Energy research and the contributions of the social sciences: A contemporary examination. Energy Research & Social Science. 1(3), 186-197. 
Ryan, S. E. (2014). Rethinking gender and identity in energy studies. Energy Research & Social Science. 1, 96-105. 
Miguel-Stearns, T., Ryan, S. E. (2014). The empirical research law librarian Part 1: Making the case and filling the role. Trends in Law Library Management and Technology. 24, 1-6. 
Ryan, S. E., Miguel-Stearns, T. M. (2014). The empirical research law librarian Part 2: Developing the role. Trends in Law Library Management and Technology. 24, 7-12. 
Ryan, S. E. (2013). Data, statistics, or secondary statistical analysis: Helping students articulate and acquire the numbers they’re (really) seeking. Perspectives: Teaching Legal Research and Writing. 22(1), 30-34. 
Ryan, S. E. (2013). The challenges of researching African high court opinions: 10 lessons learned from a four-country retrievability survey. Legal Reference Services Quarterly. 32(4), 294-306. Taylor & Francis. 
Ryan, S. E. (2012). Assessing diversity in Public Affairs curricula: A model for student-led programmatic self-study. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 18(4), 757-770. 
Ryan, S. E. (2011). Heart of a Lion, Mind Full of Pride: The Paradox of Teaching EE as a Heuristic for Homegrown Change in Rwanda. Journal of Development Communication. 22(2), 1-13. 
Ryan, S. E., Randell, S.  (2011). Re-imagining academic meetings as social justice workshops: Best practices from the International Conference on Gender Centres in Africa. Women & Language. 34(1), 71-77. 
Ryan, S. E. (2011). The Dilemmas of Post-identity Organizing: Unmaking feminist Ties in Southern Rwanda. Women & Language. 34(2), 61-78. 
Ryan, S. E. (2010). Let's Get Them Out of the Country! Reflecting On the Value of International Immersion Experiences for MPA Students. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 16(2), 307-312. 
Ryan, S. E., Balocating, A., Ohno, S., Saju, D., Walker, J.  (2009). Peace-building through good governance and capable statehood. Peace Review. 21(3), 286-295. 
Hashmi, M., Ryan, S. E. (2009). Reifying binaries: British press coverage of the Bush Administration’s case for war in Iraq. Florida Journal of Communication. 39(1), 40-54. 
Ryan, S. E. (2007). Radical pedagogy: Lessons from the" Africa book" project. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 13(3/4), 487-497. 
Ryan, S. E. (2006). Arguing toward a More Active Citizenry: Re-envisioning the Introductory Civics Course via Debate-Centered Pedagogy. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 12(3), 385-395. 
Ryan, S. E., Sovacool, B.  (2006). Uncovering the intellectual diversity of modern policy debate. Contemporary Argumentation & Debate. 27, 49-70. 
Law Review
Ryan, S.  (2020). Judicial Authority Under the First Step Act: What Congress Conferred Through Section 404. Loyola University of Chicago Law Journal. 52(3), 67-125. 
Ryan, S.  (2017). Increasing Legal Support for End-of-Life Planning in the United States: How Probate and Family Attorneys Can Contribute to a Culture of Dignified Dying. Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal. 30(4), 335-357. 
Ryan, S. E. (2011). Fulfilling the US obligation to prevent exterminationism: a comprehensive approach to regulating hate speech and dismantling systems of genocide. Loyola University Chicago Law Journal. 43, 317-356. 
Magazine/Trade Publication
Ryan, S.  (2021). History's Lessons. Time. https://time.com/5956201/defund-the-police-history-lessons/
Ryan, S.  (2016). Local-federal definitional divides: Special purpose districts and the challenges of empirical government research. Jurisdocs. 
Gaultier, S., Miguel-Stearns, T., Ryan, S. E., Wang, F.  (2014). More Than a Bunch of Old Books: Perspectives from rare book school. AALL Spectrum. 19, 27. 
Ryan, S. E. (2014). Navigating the human subjects research review process: The rhyme and reason of IRBs.. AALL Spectrum. 18(3), 30--31. 
Ryan, S. E. (2013). Digging in to patron data: What I learned from the law school “facebook. AALL Spectrum. 17(3), 20--21. 
Ryan, S. E. (2013). Rhyme and Reason of IRBs: Navigating the Human Subjects Research Review Process, The. AALL Spectrum. 18, 30. 
Newspaper
Ryan, S.  (2020). The Frustrations of Fighting for Compassionate Release Under the First Step Act. The Crime Report. 
Ryan, S.  (2020). Why Justice Still Eludes Crack Offenders. The Crime Report. https://thecrimereport.org/2020/07/07/1003804/
Research Report
Stock, J., Fusaris,, Ryan, S.  (2013). Database evaluation report: Testing Casemaker, Fastcase, and Smart Litigator.  Hartford, CT: Connecticut Bar Association. 
Technical Report
Ryan, S. E. (2009). Lessons learned from the Communication pilot course at the Centre of Gender, Culture, and Development Studies at The Kigali Institute of Education..  Kigali, Rwanda: Embassy of the United States of America. 
White Paper
Ryan, S. E. (2009). Static Strategy in a Dynamic Age: Nonprofit Web Missioning Throughout the 2000s.  New York, NY: The Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management. 



	
		
		
	  

	

	

  
    
	

	

	  

		

		   
Awarded Grants



  
  
  	  
          
Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research  

 	 
	 	 
  
Grant - Research   
Ryan, S. E., "Collection of Veterans Laws Passed by States, 2010-2020," Sponsored by College of Information, Local, $3000 Funded. (January 2022 – December 2022).
Ryan, S., "The Construction of Trans- Plaintiff Identities via Early Motion Practice," Sponsored by Wesleyan University, Local, $2520 Funded. (June 2021 – July 2021).
Ryan, S. (Supporting), "Collaborative Research: Courts and the Globalization of Law," Sponsored by National Science Foundation, Federal, $436265 Funded. (2015 – 2016).
Ryan, S. (Principal), "Rebuilding through Dialogue: A Nation in Transition (Rwanda)," Sponsored by Research Foundation of the City University of New York, Local, $9500 Funded. (2008 – 2009).
Ryan, S. (Principal), "Mapping the Communication Practices of New York City Nonprofits," Sponsored by Research Foundation of the City University of New York, Local, $6000 Funded. (2007 – 2008).
Grant - Service   
Ryan, S. E. (Co-Principal), "Daughters of the Diaspora Conference," Sponsored by Humanities Texas, State, $1500 Funded. (2010 – 2010).
Grant - Teaching   
Xie, Z. (Co-Principal), Phillips, M. E. (Co-Principal), Ryan, S. E. (Co-Principal), Wittenberg, J. (Co-Principal), "Joint Professional Development Institute To Cultivate Collaborative Library Scholars," Sponsored by Institute of Museum and Library Services, Federal, $499966 Funded. (July 27, 2023 – Present).
Ryan, S., "Promoting Early Civic Engagement: The Middle School Debate Project," Sponsored by Wesleyan University, Local, $4000 Funded. (May 2021).
Ryan, S., Pearl, K., "Saving the Republic: Lessons from Plato for our Time," Sponsored by Wesleyan University, Local, $4000 Funded. (May 2021).
Ryan, S., "Legal Advocacy for Disabled Veterans," Sponsored by Wesleyan University, Local, $6500 Funded. (January 2021 – May 2021).
Ryan, S. E., "Legal Advocacy for Disabled Veterans," Sponsored by Wesleyan University, Local, $6500 Funded. (August 2020 – December 2020).
Ryan, S. (Supporting), "Enhancing Chinese Language and Culture Instruction," Sponsored by U.S. Department of Education, Federal, $120000 Funded. (2011 – 2013).
Ryan, S. (Supporting), "Increasing Capacity and Qualifications of Rwandan Women through Higher Education and Research," Sponsored by Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, International, $36000 Funded. (2010 – 2012).



	
		
		
	  

	

	

	
	

  
  
  

  	

		

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					Overall
Summative Rating		
					Challenge and
Engagement Index		
					Response Rate
					
				

			
			
				

					
					
out of 5		
					
out of 7		
					%
 of 
students responded		
					
					
				

			
		


		
    
			
  • Overall Summative Rating (median):
    
			This rating represents the combined responses of students to the four global summative items and is presented to provide an overall index of the class’s quality. Overall summative statements include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 5 = Excellent, 3 = Good, and 1= Very poor):
				
      
					
    • The course as a whole was
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    • The course content was
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    • The instructor’s contribution to the course was
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    • The instructor’s effectiveness in teaching the subject matter was
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  • Challenge and Engagement Index:
    
			This rating combines student responses to several SPOT items relating to how academically challenging students found the course to be and how engaged they were. Challenge and Engagement Index items include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 7 = Much higher, 4 = Average, and 1 = Much lower):
				
      
					
    • Do you expect your grade in this course to be
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    • The intellectual challenge presented was
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    • The amount of effort you put into this course was
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    • The amount of effort to succeed in this course was
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    • Your involvement in course (doing assignments, attending classes, etc.) was
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