Welcome!

I earned a Ph.D. in Political Science and Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) from Purdue University in August 2023. My dissertation, “Effectively Disenfranchised? Framing and the Youth Climate Movement in the United States,” explores the unique influence of communication by youth climate activists on policymaking in the United States. I received a B.S. in Political Science as well as an M.A. with a concentration in Environmental Politics and Policy Analysis from Appalachian State University.

Broadly, my research interests include public policy, environmental politics and justice, and methodology. In my dissertation, I examine how strategic communication by youth climate activists may generate support for ambitious climate policies in the United States. I also work with several co-authors to understand other factors that may influence the policymaking process. You can read more about that work here.

To develop my ability to research interactions between social policy and the environment, I also pursued extensive training in both quantitative and qualitative methods. I earned a certificate in Advanced Methods at Purdue (AMAP) and participated in several methodological workshops, including attending the Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR) and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR).

Beyond academia, I continue to search for ways to foster positive change in my community through applied policy. I currently serve on the West Lafayette Go Greener Commission, was a 2022 Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Fellow with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, and served as an intern in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Conservation and Water from 2017 to 2018. In each of these experiences, I strive to bring a positive attitude and contribute to an inclusive environment.