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A University of North Georgia (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) student and an alumna took the top two places in the Georgia Sociological Association undergraduate research paper competition at the group's annual meeting in November.

Bryan Rocha, a senior from Gainesville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in sociology, earned first place for his paper "An analysis on persistent government negligence toward the danger that lead-based paint in properties poses to children's health."

Renee Clement, '21, graduated with a sociology degree and took second place with her paper about the challenges faced by working mothers. Clement, a Statham, Georgia, resident works as an academic adviser on Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Oconee Campus.

Both worked on their papers in a social stratification class taught by Dr. David Broad, professor of sociology.

"The great value of presenting a paper at a conference is you get feedback from people who are not involved in the active research component of producing the paper," Broad said. "It tells you what was useful and what might need better research methodology."

The Georgia Sociological Association is an organization of academic and applied professional sociologists and students. It aims to stimulate and improve research, teaching, and discussion and to encourage community service and cooperative relations among Georgians engaged in the scientific study of society and culture.