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University News
Public Engagement Project Announces 2026 PEP Fellows
The Public Engagement Project (PEP) has announced the six UMass Amherst faculty members selected as 2026 Public Engagement Fellows.
The PEP Fellowship Program facilitates connections between fellows and lawmakers in the U.S. Congress and Massachusetts State House, journalists, practitioners and others to share their research beyond the walls of academia. Representing six departments from across campus, the UMass scholars selected for this year’s fellowship cohort will receive technical training in communicating with non-academic audiences and draw on their substantial research records to impact policy and the work of practitioners, and inform the public on current issues.
“At this moment in U.S. history, and across the world, research-informed action is more necessary than ever,” says Lisa M. Troy, director of the Public Engagement Project and associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences and the Commonwealth Honors College. “The PEP Fellowship plays a critical role in helping to meet that demand by creating an interdisciplinary network of publicly engaged UMass scholars, developing skills to effectively communicate across diverse audiences, and facilitating relationships to share the high-quality research produced at UMass.”
The 2026 group marks the 12th cohort of PEP Fellows. Past fellows have gone on to testify before congress, collaborate with community groups to affect environmental change, and write over 1,000 op-eds, policy briefs, and create mainstream media content.
2026 PEP Fellows
Nick Caverly studies how inequalities shape cities and environments. Through the PEP Fellowship, Caverly will develop public-facing and outreach resources to support people in building more equitable and sustainable communities.
Maria Galano studies how violence affects our well-being, as well as the best ways to promote healing following trauma. As a PEP Fellow, she will create public resources to support communities in moving forward amidst adversity.
Juniper Katz studies how communities and governments can find common ground to build the clean energy infrastructure we need to address climate change. As a PEP Fellow, she engages with media and decision makers to promote policies that deliver affordable, abundant energy for everyone.
Brian Ogilvie, a historian of science and ideas, studies the origins of natural history, biodiversity, and ecology, with a particular focus on insects and other invertebrates. As a PEP Fellow, Ogilvie will engage non-academic audiences on how our modern knowledge of insects and their role in ecosystems emerged out of interlaced threads of science, art, and religion.
Taqi Raza’s research uncovers security flaws in financial payments. During the PEP Fellowship, Raza will translate his research for policymakers, regulators, and industry to show “how” these failures harm consumers, “when” the regulatory interventions are most effective; and “what” accountability looks like.
Jared Starr studies how wealthy households' investments, income, and consumption are driving climate change. As a PEP Fellow, Jared will develop opinion pieces to inform public debate and work to engage legislators in policy development. In his work with the Energy Transition Institute, Jared helps communicate the value of academic energy research to the broader public.