Laurel Smith-Doerr came to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in September 2013 to serve as the inaugural Director of the Institute for Social Science Research; she was also appointed professor in the Department of Sociology. After earning her PhD in sociology...
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Laurel Smith-Doerr
Director of ISSR, Professor of Sociology
ISSR
(413) 545-5983
Henry Renski
Associate Director, ISSR and Associate Professor
Department of Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning
Henry Renski serves as Associate Director of ISSR. He joined the faculty of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (LARP) in the fall of 2007. He teaches courses in quantitative methods, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis,...
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Jessica Pearlman
Research Methodologist
ISSR
Jessica Pearlman is the ISSR Research Methodologist, overseeing the development of the Institute's methodology training and consulting services and ISSR's team of Graduate Methodology Consultants. Dr. Pearlman came to University of Massachusetts from the University of...
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Karen Mason
Grants, Personnel and Budget Manager
ISSR
Karen Mason, Grants, Personnel and Budget Manager at ISSR, has been working in the field of research support her entire UMass career. Initially hired as support staff and moving into grant administration at the Social and Demographic Research Institute (SADRI), housed...
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Gretchen Gano
Grants Development Social Scientist
ISSR
Gretchen Gano is the ISSR Grants Development Social Scientist. In this capacity, she works with the ISSR director to set a grant-seeking agenda designed to meet strategic goals; develop relationships with external funding agencies; monitor and advise on grant...
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Elisa Martinez
Program Assistant
ISSR
Elisa Martinez supports ISSR staff in planning and publicizing ISSR-supported events and the work of social science researchers at UMass. She is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at UMass, studying the politics of aid and activism in the international...
James Hokonya
Clerical Assistant
ISSR
James Hokonya supports ISSR operations with administrative support in all service areas. James is pursuing his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, and comes from a background of administrative work at the Laboratory of Medical Zoology at UMass, and for two...
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