Justice and Nature Team
The Justice and Nature Research Group is an interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together scholars from various departments and colleges across the University of Utah. This diverse assemblage of researchers, professors, and students fosters a rich exchange of perspectives and expertise, enabling a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between justice and nature.
The group draws its members from a wide range of disciplines, including Health & Kinesiology, Environmental & Sustainability Studies, and Environmental Humanities, among others.
Mickey Bolyard
Health & Kinesiology Doctorate Student
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Mickey is a PhD student in Health and Kinesiology, and their research interests include the implementation of health promotion and lifestyle interventions for diabetes prevention, the planning and development of nature-based health interventions, and the intersection between greenspace and health.
Sage Doyle
Envir. and Sustainability Undergrad Student
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Sage is an undergraduate student in Environment and Sustainability Studies at the University of Utah.
Paige Fery
Graduate Research Assistant
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Paige is a PhD student in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah. Her academic and research interests explore the nexus between outdoor recreation experiences and social justice issues. Her work primarily focuses on park and protected areas to address social ecological concerns.
Maddie Fuchs
Envir. and Sustainability Undergrad Student
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Maddie is an undergraduate student in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Sociology in the Honors College. Her passion within those departments includes bridging the gap between environmental justice and the unsheltered community.
Fernanda Guzman
Associate Instructor
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Fernanda Guzman is a senior in her undergraduate career as a Health Society and Policy and Writing and Rhetoric Studies double major and a Pediatric Clinical Research minor. Her passions are working in equity, diversity, and inclusion, specifically with her peers in student organizations. She hopes to pursue a joint Master's degree in Public Health and Public policy in order to address health disparities and the oppression of marginalized communities.
Carly Knudsen
Graduate Teaching Assistant
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Carly is a master's student in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism department. She is interested in perceptions and access to different types of "nature," and how parks, recreation and tourism may interface with public health policies and programming. In addition to the Nature and Justice lab, Carly works with University of Utah employee wellness programming, as well as on the Community Health in Recreation and Parks (CHRP) project.
Assistant Professor
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Jerry’s research has focused on (1) racial and ethnic disparities in public parks and nature-based recreation and (2) the sociological and psychological mechanisms by which outdoor recreation contributes to health and well-being. Multiple media outlets have covered Lee’s research, and he is currently working on a book project on historical discrimination in U.S. public parks.
Sasha Mader
Graduate Assistant
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Sasha is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Her research interests include leisure as resistance, gender equity and representation in the outdoors, and the narratives that shape our contemporary relationships with leisure and recreation.
Assistant Professor
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Lisa studies how to leverage recreation experiences and systems to provide meaningful and culturally relevant experiences for youth and emerging adults. Her research aims to support the healthy development and well-being of individuals and examine how recreation experiences can equip them with skills and resources needed to address injustices and inequities in their lives. Her primary interest is in improving recreation opportunities for marginalized groups while recognizing this focus benefits all.
Sydney Murray
Graduate Assistant
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Sydney is a second-year graduate student in the University of Utah's Environmental Humanities Program. Her research and academic interests pertain to investigating how nature-based program scan better support nature-relatedness across racially/ethnically diverse individuals and communities. While in Utah, she also co-founded Camping in Color, an overnight program designed for black youth and their families in the Salt Lake Valley area to enhance a sense of belonging, appreciation, and engagement in the outdoors.
Assistant Professor
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Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah. His research examines systemic inequities expressed through political economy, relationships to nature, class, and race. He uses this justice-focused lens to study homelessness in parks, social-ecological systems, and outdoor experiences.
Chair, Associate Professor
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Dart is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. She is co-Leader of Nature and Human Health – Utah, a research/practice collaborative focused improving our understanding of the role of nature in mental health and increasing access for underserved populations. Dart is particularly interested in the importance of balance in the work/life balance equation and how it informs overall health and wellbeing for all.