Dr. Jarl Ahlkvist

Assistant Professor

Biography

Jarl Ahlkvist is an Associate Teaching Professor and Research Director in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Penn State University. He leads the Building Strong Identity Coping Skills (BaSICS) Project, focusing on socioeconomic health disparities and youth development. His work emphasizes identity and culture, with a particular interest in community research and popular music media studies. Ahlkvist has presented at various conferences, including topics on supporting first-generation college students and the psychological impacts of poverty-related stress. He has contributed to academic literature addressing the complex interplay of stress and coping mechanisms among adolescents, particularly in relation to socioeconomic factors. Ahlkvist has authored several publications in esteemed journals detailing the implications of parental investments on educational outcomes and coping strategies within youth contexts. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Florida Atlantic University and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Teaching Professor
— Present

Penn State University • University Park, PA

Teaching and conducting research in Sociology and Criminology.

Courses

SOC 5 - Social Problems SOC/CRIM 479 - Special Topics: Community Engaged Research: Science Greater Good