Elisabeth Stoddard

Elisabeth Stoddard, or Lisa, is an Associate Professor, TRT, and the co-Director of the Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, MA. She teaches courses focused on environmental justice and health, environmental social movements, as well as designing for climate resilience and justice. She is also the Director of the Farm Stay Project Center, where students conduct long-term research projects at a residential educational farm and nature education center on topics such as renewable energy, sustainable and resilient food production, and nature-based education. Lisa conducts research in two main areas focused on social justice and the environment. First, she looks at the ways in which farmed animal production can create environmental hazards and injustice for local communities, including water, air, and soil pollution, as well as the spread of disease. She examines how a changing climate and global economy can exacerbate these issues, as well as the ability of social movements to make powerful changes, especially in the age of social media. Lisa also looks at social justice issues in the context of the university environment, including work on incorporating social justice content into undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM) curriculum. She also conducts research on bias and stereotyping on academic teams, and the impact this has on student learning. Through this work, Lisa, and colleague Geoff Pfeifer, have developed a set of modules and tools to create more equitable team dynamics for use by students, faculty, and staff. These tools continue to be tested, analyzed, and modified with support from Lisa's student research team, collaborators, and multiple grants. Lisa holds a PhD in Geography from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She also holds M.S. in Animals and Public Policy from Tuft's University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, located in Grafton, Massachusetts. Lisa enjoys spending time outside with her wife and children - hiking, going to outdoor concerts, visiting farms, and more.