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Associate Professor at Nicholls State University

Robert J. L. Archer, PhD, a dual alumnus of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice (c/o '12 and '14), has been awarded tenure as an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Dr. Archer caught up with us, and we invite you into the conversation.

Q: What first drew you to study criminology and criminal justice, and how did your time at �̲�ֱ�� Atlantic shape your path?
I have always been interested in criminology and criminal justice, even as a kid. There was always something about it that sparked my interest. My time at FAU really started to shape my career path when I entered graduate school and started to really enjoy the research side of criminology. Before then, I was like many students who didn’t 100% know what they really wanted to do as a career.

Q: Looking back, was there a defining moment or mentor during your college years that influenced your career trajectory?
Entering the graduate program at FAU was really a defining moment that was very influential in shaping my career path. It introduced me to research, which is a huge part of being a professor. Dr. Tasha Youstin was one of the first mentors at FAU to help guide me along to eventually get into my PhD program. After graduation from FAU, I had the pleasure of working under Dr. Ryan Meldrum, who played an instrumental role in getting me to where I am today.

Q: Can you share a project or paper you're especially proud of, and why it matters to the field or community?
“Unstructured socializing with peers and delinquency: The role of mediation through the lens of Akers’ (1998) social structure social learning theory of crime and deviance” -- There are so many intricate details and relationships in the paper, which show things aren’t always as straightforward as they may seem.

Q: What’s your favorite course to teach, and how do you engage your students?
I have always enjoyed teaching criminological theory. There are so many different theories, and so many of them provide great explanations to better understand criminals who are committing crimes, including, although less often, some of my own experiences to help engage as well as connect with my students.

Q: Now that you’ve reached this major milestone, what’s the ‘next big thing’ in your professional forecast?
The next “big thing” for me would likely be to continue working with honors students who have reached out to me for guidance on completing their theses. Although getting promoted to “full professor” would be great, I’m not in a rush.

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⚡LIGHTNING ROUND ⚡

☝️ One word to describe your student experience as an Owl: Memorable!

😲 Most surprising thing about becoming a faculty member so far: Probably the difficulty in getting 'revise and resubmit' on journal articles.

😎 Favorite way to unwind after a long week: Spending time at home with my wife and five dogs!

🎬 A book or film that changed how you view justice: I’ll explore the grey area of ”film” here and say various YouTube videos of criminal justice, especially policing. Some highlight the more common view of criminal justice professionals doing the right thing, yet other videos still exist which clearly show that criminal justice professionals and the system still have improving to do.

📣 A nugget of wisdom you’d give your 20-year-old self: Stay focused, work hard, and you can achieve your dream, but don’t be afraid to take a moment and enjoy your time where you currently are.