Daniel G. Renfrow is a sociologist specializing in social psychology, contemporary sexual scripts, and identity projects. His recent work examines how self-narratives connect individuals to community, place, and the natural world. He earned a PhD in sociology from the University of Washington.
He served as Associate Professor of Sociology at Wells College in Aurora, New York, from 2008 until its closure in 2024. Daniel spent the 2024-2025 academic year teaching in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Martin before returning to New York.
At Wells, he taught the sociological core—Principles of Sociology, Social Problems, Social Psychology, Research Methods for the Social Sciences, and Sociological Theory—and specialty seminars on Masculinities, the Sociology of the Paranormal, Families and Intimate Relationships, Criminology, Oral History, and Animals and Society. In each of his courses, he modeled for his students how to think sociologically: how to identify important questions about our shared experience, how to find answers to these questions, and how to effectively communicate these understandings to others.
During his time at Wells, he served as the Chair of the Social Science Division from 2022 to 2024. He was honored with Wells College’s highest teaching award, the Excellence in Teaching Medal in 2014, and the Excellence in Advising Award in 2021. He was awarded the title of Associate Professor of Sociology Emeritus on May 18, 2024.
Daniel G. Renfrow, PhD 