Current Fellow Profiles

Jynessa Dutka-Gianelli

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Conservation

Jynessa Dutka-Gianelli uses community-based research that engages coastal communities, government agencies, scientists, and decision-makers to explore local fisheries and seafood industry challenges. Her research integrates fisheries science and participatory approaches to understand changing climate and socio-ecological impacts on fishing communities. As a PEP fellow, she will develop a series of short articles for policymakers and public audiences and share her research through media interviews and blog posts to communicate her work on topics related to renewable energy, ocean ecosystems, and shoreline communities.

Read more about Jynessa Dutka-Gianelli’s research here 

Song Gao

Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Song Gao studies transportation systems from both the users’ and providers’ perspectives. Her current research designs an app to improve decision-making of ride-sharing drivers. As a PEP fellow, Dr. Gao will engage local and online communities to understand what factors are relevant in ride-sharing drivers’ decision-making, and connect with policy makers to inform regulatory actions on the ride-sharing economy. 

Read more about Song Gao’s research here 

Jaime Hartmann-Boyce

Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management

Jaime Hartmann-Boyce’s research involves bringing together and interpreting evidence so that patients, carers, healthcare providers, and policy makers have the best available evidence in hand when making decisions. She works across a range of topics, including tobacco and nicotine, diabetes, COVID, and healthcare access. As a PEP fellow, Dr. Hartmann-Boyce will write news articles and engage with the media and share her work with policymakers.

Read more about Jamie Hartmann-Boyce’s research here  

Catrina Kim

Assistant Professor of Music Theory, Department of Music and Dance

Catrina Kim studies how music and sound convey messages about “the grind” in spaces where runners train and race. Dr. Kim is writing a book that explores how these messages form idealized—but exclusionary—narratives about how a “marathoner” looks and behaves. As a PEP Fellow, she will pursue writing and speaking platforms where she can communicate findings from her research to runners interested in making their own running communities more welcoming.

Read more about Catrina Kim’s work here  

Jaime C. Piñero

Extension Professor, Stockbridge School of Agriculture

Jaime Piñero is an entomologist with a research focus on applied ecology and sustainable pest management in fruit crops. His main goal is that fruit growers produce healthy crops while reducing pesticide use in support of sustainable agriculture. Jaime is passionate about supporting underserved students and engaging in student mentorship. As a PEP fellow, Jaime will disseminate his research findings via various media channels, aiming to enhance public awareness of agricultural sustainability.

Read more about Jaime Pinero’s research and extension here and about his student mentorship initiatives here.

 

 

Shannon Roberts

Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Shannon Roberts studies the Human Factors of transportation safety. Her research applies knowledge about how humans behave to the design of safe and equitable transportation systems. As a PEP fellow, Dr. Roberts will focus on sharing results of recent research focused on automated trucking through public media, stakeholder workshops, and the development of material for public audiences.

Read more about Shannon Roberts’ research here

Rachel "Rae" Walker

Associate Professor, Elaine Marieb College of Nursing

Rae Walker is a nurse inventor who studies artificial intelligence and other forms of automation in health care. They co-founded Health Tech for the People, a think tank that focuses on tech ethics and increasing community power over the design of care technologies. Dr. Walker will use their PEP fellowship to educate policy makers shaping legislation to regulate A.I. for health care, to improve public A.I. literacy, and to increase representation of nursing expertise in media reporting about these technologies.

Read more about Rae Walker’s research here

 

Kevin A. Young

Associate Professor of History, Department of History

Kevin A. Young studies how the fossil fuel industry wields political power and how the climate movement can overcome industry resistance to a Green New Deal. His research draws lessons from historical social movements that defeated other capitalist industries. As a PEP fellow, he will write a series of op-eds and build a network of media contacts.

Read more about Kevin Young’s research here   

 

In appreciation of their generous support, the UMass Public Engagement Project would like to thank the Office of the ProvostUniversity Relations, and the Colleges of Natural SciencesSocial and Behavioral Sciences Humanities and Fine ArtsEngineeringPublic Health and Health Sciences, and Education.  The UMass Public Engagement Project also recognizes and appreciates in-kind contributions and collaborations with the Center for Research on Families and the Institute for Social Science Research