Faculty Feature: Justin Berg

Congratulations to Dr. Justin Berg and his research team (Dr. Kay Gim from the Communication Department and Sike Olateru-Olagbegi, a graduate student in the Department of Education, Health and Behavior Studies) for winning a development grant from the Midwest Sociological Society. Their upcoming research will examine how eating together can build positive relationships between people from different backgrounds.

Starting September 2026, they will conduct an experiment where pairs of students share a meal together and engage in get-to-know-you conversations at the University food court. Any changes in their intergroup attitudes will be compared to the attitudes of a control group, which will not eat together. Two undergraduate research assistants will also join the team to help run the tasks, write a journal article, and present at the 2027 Midwest Sociological Society annual conference. We look forward to seeing the results of their fun and important work!