Prof. Smith is an interdisciplinary social scientist whose research focuses on the intersections of science, policy, and media. She is particularly interested in the role of science communication and media effects as they relate to environmental decision-making. Dr. Smith has completed collaborative research with the US Forest Service and Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Dr. Smith has a joint appointment in the Harrington School of Communication and Media and the Department of Marine Affairs. She teaches leadership, strategic communication, and research methods courses.  Dr. Smith completed her doctoral work as part of a 5-year National Science Foundation grant, the Sustainability Solutions Initiative, at the University of Maine. Her doctoral research focused on the role of science communication and media in the transition to renewable energy systems in the Northeastern United States.

 

Smith worked as a reporter and editor in Salt Lake City, Utah before pursuing her graduate work in Sustainability Science. She currently serves as a Research Topic Editor for Frontiers in Communication, on the Executive Committee for International Environmental Communication Association, and as the Coordinator of the Harrington Media Agency. She was recently awarded the Harrington School’s first ever Research Achievement Award for her work with the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting. Outside of work, Prof Smith can be found running or hiking with her dog, or trying out a new recipe in her kitchen.