FERSTS

Senior Research Scholar, Genetic Engineering & Society Center (2021–)

Instructor, College of Natural Resources (2019-); Science, Technology & Society Studies (2016-)

Postdoctoral Research Scholar (2018-21)

PhD in Forestry and Environmental Resources, Minor in Genetic Engineering and Society (2014-18)

NSF IGERT Fellow, Genetic Engineering and Society (2016-17)

Katie is an environmental social scientist situated at the intersection of Science, Technology, & Society Studies and Environmental Governance. Broadly, her research focuses on engaging diverse communities and stakeholders in complex environmental and natural resource governance questions. More specifically, she explores how public engagement practices can support inclusive governance of emerging environmental biotechnologies in species restoration, invasive species management, control of agricultural pests, and public health challenges. Katie also has considerable experience examining the political, social, and ethical dimensions of proposed gene drive systems. Katie has experience in leading international, interdisciplinary research teams, as well as community-based research and in co-constructing research agendas with Indigenous environmental leaders.

FER Doctoral Student (2022–)

NSF-NRT AgBioFEWS - GES Minor Fellow

Rex is from Navrongo, in Northern Ghana. He has a BA in Integrated Development Studies, with a minor in environmental resource management from the University for Development Studies in Ghana. He obtained a MSc in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where his research focused on the social dimensions of the adoption and use of improved clean cookstove technologies. 

At NC State, his work focuses on understanding the socio-political dimensions of genetic biocontrol technologies in aquatic invasive species management.

FER Doctoral Student (2022–)

NSF-NRT AgBioFEWS Fellow (2022-24)

Jill Furgurson is an AgBioFEWS fellow and PhD student in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources. Her research is focused on the governance and decision-making landscape of emerging environmental technologies. Her current project explores how community engagement can support more inclusive and responsive decision making around the evaluation of new environmental biotechnologies, such as those designed for the genetic rescue of endangered species.

Jill has previous research experience in community-based participatory research methods and spatial modeling of human environment interactions. She holds a M.S. in Forestry and Environmental Resources from NC State and a M.A. in Geography from UNC.

CRDM Doctoral Student (2021--)

NSF-NRT AgBioFEWS Fellow (2021-23)

After earning his B.S. in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa, Nolan spent 4 years working as a scientific writer and digital marketing specialist at Integrated DNA Technologies. This ultimately led to his research interest in science communication and subsequently his completion of the M.S. program in Communication at NC State in 2021. 

Now housed in NC State’s PhD program in Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media (CRDM), he is currently working at the intersection of Science, Technology, and Society and Environmental Communication. This involves examinations of both the discursive (language-oriented) and material (technology-oriented) elements of human-nature interaction and the ways in which those may overlap. In his career at NC State, he has worked as a teaching assistant for undergraduate courses in Public Speaking (COM 110), Science Communication & Public Engagement (COM 289), and Science, Technology, & Human Values (STS 302).

FER Doctoral Student (2020--)

NSF-NRT AgBioFEWS Fellow (2020-22)

Sebastian comes from Peru with a background in social sciences. He graduated from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru with a B.A in Sociology and has a Master’s in Science and Technology Policy from Arizona State University. He has worked in GRADE (Grupo de Analisis para el Desarrollo), a Peruvian think tank that focuses on public policy, and co-founded Sidereus Nuncius, a nonprofit that is involved in the governance of science and technology in Peru. He is part of the AgBioFEWS Fellowship at NC State, and is part of the Peruvian team in the Comparative Covid Response: Crisis, Knowledge Politics study. He is interested in science and technology policy in Latin America, sustainability, emerging technologies, natural resources, and the environment.

Postdoctoral Research Scholar (2018-21)

Trained as an interdisciplinary social scientist, Adam's work informs decision-making on complex and controversial issues involving science, technology, and the environment. While at NC State, he worked on the implications of synthetic biology for biodiversity conservation, the management of free-roaming cats in National Parks, stakeholder engagement in environmental risk assessment, and responsible innovation for nanotechnology.  He currently works for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in their Policy and Planning Program for fish and wildlife. 

Danielle joined the FERSTS lab as an undergrad while completing her bachelors of science in Science, Technology, and Society at NC State. She then pursued her master's of science in Natural Resources, using qualitative methods to analyze stakeholder engagement around the development of a gene drive mouse for island biodiversity conservation. Throughout her time as a student, she expanded her knowledge and skills in science education and communication through internships at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and NC Sea Grant. Post-graduation she served as a North Carolina  STEM Policy Fellow at the NC Department of Environmental Quality.  Drawing on this varied background, she works to bring an interdisciplinary and critical approach to the increasingly important natural resources and science governance challenges facing society.  She currently works for the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Utah, focusing on endangered species policy. 

Jessica is currently a Social Scientist with the Ecosystem Management Coordination staff of the US Forest Service. She provides guidance and training on the use of social science in the governance of the lands and resources of the National Forest System. From 2018-2022, she was a Research Scientist in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech and served as the National Bird Conservation Social Science Coordinator, a position funded by partners of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) to increase capacity within the bird conservation community to understand and address the human dimensions of bird and habitat conservation. At NCSU, Virginia Tech, and now, USFS, she has worked to integrate social science theories and approaches, particularly related to public engagement and future-oriented governance, into decision-making about the management of shared environments and natural resources.

Dalton came to the Delborne Lab in 2018 with a B.S. from Michigan State University where he studied the biological sciences and an M.S. from Drexel University where he focused on Science, Technology, and Society Studies. As Jason’s student, Dalton was involved in projects both in FER and through the Genetic Engineering and Society Center. Project topics included Public Engagement with the Genetically Engineered American Chestnut, Ethics and policy on biodiversity applications for gene drives, biosafety/biosecurity challenges with “Do-it-yourself” DIY biology. Dalton’s dissertation project focused on responsible research and innovation and stakeholder engagement with emerging and established biotechnologies. 

Dalton currently works as a postdoc for Arizona State University on an NSF project investigating policy issues surrounding emerging applications of environmental synthetic biology.