Social scientist Brad Vermurlen to elevate Nesti Center’s research profile

Social scientist Brad Vermurlen, Ph.D, has joined the University of St. Thomas-Houston's Nesti Center for Faith and Culture in a unique research role and as assistant professor of sociology. Dr. Vermurlen brings a wealth of experience having published multiple peer-reviewed articles and a book titled "Reformed Resurgence: The New Calvinist Movement and the Battle Over American Evangelicalism." He is poised to significantly elevate the published research standing of UST and the Nesti Center.

Dr. Vermurlen said, "One of my hopes is to raise the research profile of the Nesti Center so it is at the forefront of people's minds when it comes to conversations around Catholicism and religion and culture more generally. I think we at the Center are poised to contribute immediately to academic and public understanding of faith and culture in America, including from a social science perspective."

Doing What He Always Wanted to Do

Originally from Michigan, Dr. Vermurlen earned his B.A. in Sociology at the University of Michigan and his M.A. and Ph.D from the University of Notre Dame. Reviewing his CV, one understands that he has been true to an early scholarly focus. At the age of 20, he was already immersed in conversations about religion, culture, postmodern thought and the place of Christianity in America.

"Even in undergrad, I discovered that sociology was a great avenue for having those conversations and that using survey and interview data to speak to those topics would be a great home base for me as a discipline," he explained.

Contributing as a Teacher

In addition to his research responsibilities, Dr. Vermurlen will teach graduate students who are working on their Master of Arts in Faith and Culture. Many of these students are active professionals who are taking these online classes in the evening.

Dr. Vermurlen commented on how their lives will be enriched, saying, "Students in my courses will feel better equipped to understand and explain the intersections of Catholicism and culture in the context of their daily lives."

Role Is Perfect Blend

Vermurlen expressed his admiration for the Nesti Center's vision and appreciation for the ability to contribute a substantial amount of needed research on Christianity in America under the auspices of Nesti. His arrival marks a significant move toward establishing the Nesti Center as a premier hub for social science research related to Catholicism.

He added. "My role at UST is the perfect blend of teaching and research, not be mention being housed within a vital center for the Catholic intellectual tradition was irresistible to me."

Before St. Thomas

Before coming to St. Thomas, Dr. Vermurlen served as a visiting assistant professor at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a research associate at UT-Austin. Prior to that, he directed social research for Docent Research Group, which provides custom research for megachurches and other Christian organizations. From fall 2019 to fall 2021, he was a Generations in Dialogue fellow at the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at USC, where he explored the intersections of sociology with the Christian moral and intellectual tradition.

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