Nik Roberts, PhD

Dr. Nik Roberts teaches a diverse array of courses, including correctional systems, criminological theory, research methods, international conflict resolution, white-collar crime, violence and the media, problems in policing, and introduction to leadership studies. Tenured in 2022, he brings prior experience with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, where he focused on inmate education, re-entry training, and solitary confinement policy reform.

An honorably discharged veteran of the Army National Guard, Dr. Roberts holds multiple degrees: a B.A., B.S., and M.S. from Pennsylvania Western University, an M.A. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. from Saybrook University. Building on a background that includes pedagogy, faculty professional development, and assessment, he is currently pursuing additional graduate training in educational psychology.

Dr. Roberts is an AccessData-certified digital forensics investigator and the author of The Law Behind the Wall: An American Corrections Anthology (2024). His upcoming book, Research Methods for Qualitative Justice Studies, co-edited with Eir-Anne Edgar and Heatherlee Sittler, is under contract with IGI Global. A seasoned academic, Dr. Roberts has served as a panelist, chair, discussant, and co-facilitator at numerous conferences and as a methodologist and subject-matter expert on over two dozen completed doctoral research committees.

His service agenda is detailed below.

University Service

• • Elected Co-Chair of the University-wide Tenure Committee (2024–): Representing the PWU-California campus
  • Elected alternate member of the Legislative Assembly (2024–)
  • Member of the Executive Council (2024–)
  • Member of the Search Committee for Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management at Pennsylvania Western University (2024)
  • Member of the PennWest Faculty Professional Development Review Committee (2023–2025)
  • Member of Dean Carden's College of Education, Arts, and Humanities Professional Development Funding Committee (2024–)
  • Title IX Student Advisor and Hearing Board Member/Decision-Maker (2023–2024)
  • Member of the University-wide Sabbatical Committee (2023–2024)
  • Member of PennWest’s first integrated University-wide Promotion Committee (2022–2023)
  • Judge for Strike-A-Spark (research competition) (2018–2022)
  • Invited by Associate Provost Len Colelli to contribute to university-wide policy development for the Verification of Student Identity Policy (2019)
  • Alternate member of the University Curriculum Committee (2019–2020)
  • Member of California University of PA's General Education Committee (2019–2021): Subcommittees on Social Sciences, Health and Wellness, and Middle States Accreditation
  • Member of the Student Conduct Board (2009–2010)
  • Ballot Volunteer for Cal APSCUF Faculty & Coaches AFT Affiliation Vote Coverage (2024)
  • Member of the Oral History Advisory Committee for “Cal U Women of Accomplishment” (2010)
  • Co-organizer of California University’s Dissertation Support Group (2008–2010)
    
    

Departmental Service

• • Outcome Assessment Coordinator, Undergraduate Criminal Justice Programs (2019–2023)
  • Member of the Curriculum Committee: Subcommittees on Undergraduate Criminology and Corrections Concentrations (2019–2024)
  • Invited by the Department of Sociology, Political Science, and Law to develop two approved courses for the Master's in Conflict Resolution Studies Program: CRS 7800: Research Methods in Conflict Resolution and CRS 7950: Applied Research Project (2023)
  • Chair, Master’s Thesis Committee for Jane Christianos (2022–2023)
  • Research Advisor for 10 Completed Doctoral Research Portfolios for the Doctor in Criminal Justice (D.C.J.) Program (2019–2023)
  • University Catalog Reviewer for the Department (2020–2021)
  • Contributor to Marketing Initiatives: Development of program brochures, a recruitment video, and participation in Open House and Discovery Day admissions events (2018–Present)
  • Along with Dr. Raymond Hsieh, revised the legacy JUS 105 Introduction to Forensic Science course (now CRJ 1050) into a fully approved General Education Natural Science course (2020)
  • Welcome Weekend and New Student Orientation (2021–2024)
  • Member of the Chair Election Committee (2020)
  • Member of the Five-Year Tenured Faculty Review Committee for Dr. Michael Hummel and Dr. John Cencich (2022)
  • Member of the Temporary Faculty Annual Review Committee (2019–2023)
  • Member of the Tenure Review Committee for Dr. Christopher Wydra and Dr. Mathilda Spencer (2019)
  • Co-developed and led three ACT48 Teacher Summer Institutes for the California University’s Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program (2008–2010)
  • Served as a program coordinator, archivist, and transcriber for the Digital Collection of the Veterans Oral Histories Project, housed in the University’s Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program.
    
    

Community Service

• • Conference Planning Committee, Voices for Juvenile Justice (2024–Present)
  • Shared Governance Subcommittee (Faculty Senate at Saybrook University) (2023)
  • Official Visitor/Prison Monitor, Pennsylvania Prison Society (2003–Present)
  • Provided consultancy and expert witness services for the Federal Litigation Clinic in the School of Law at Duquesne University, contributing to a successful settlement through mediation (2020)
  • Served on 13 Completed Dissertation Committees (2017–2023) as a Methodologist or Subject Matter Expert for Ph.D. programs in Criminal Justice and Public Policy Administration at external institutions
  • SECA Fundraising Coordinator, SCI-Fayette, PA Department of Corrections (2017–2018)
  • Builder, Homegrown, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (2017)
  • Occupational Advisory Committee, Mon Valley Career and Technology Center and Greene County Career and Technology Center (2008–2019)
  • Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Administrative Segregation Committee (2017–2018)
  • Volunteer Trainer, Scott Township Public Library (2012–2013)
  • Member of the Social Media Committee, U.S. Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (2009–2010)
  • Contributed to the Donora Smog Museum in several ways, including: digitizing and categorizing primary source images, which I maintained on a website; many of these images were published in the 2010 book Donora: Images of America (by Charles E. Stacey, Brian Charlton, and David Lonich). Additionally, I created a video for museum visitors (authored by Brian Charlton and narrated by Ashley Larrow-Roberts) on the history of Donora, and organized student tours of the museum, 2007-2011
  • Wedding Officiant: Officiated three weddings since 2007
    
    

Professional Memberships