Dr. Erica Bower joined Tennessee Tech University in the Fall of 2021 as an Assistant Professor of Sociology. She received her B.A. in Sociology and Criminal Justice in 2015, M.A. in Applied Sociology in 2017, and Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice in 2021, all from Old Dominion University. Dr. Bower has taught introductory courses in Sociology, Criminology, and Criminal Justice as well as courses including Victimology, Family Violence, Juvenile Delinquency, and Visual Sociology.

Dr. Bower's research interests include school discipline and zero-tolerance policy, criminal justice policy and reform, social inequality, and issues related to criminalization. Her research has appeared in The Social Science Journal, American Journal of Criminal Justice, and International Journal of Contemporary Sociology. Additionally, Dr. Bower was part of a research team that evaluated the Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's implementation of a No-Cash Bail Policy in 2019 in the City of Norfolk, Virginia.

Dr. Bower enjoys working with students to facilitate critical thinking about social issues as well as helping students make connections with practitioners in criminal justice and related fields.