Jan-Michael Archer is a PhD Candidate and National Science Foundation Research Trainee at the University of Maryland School of Public Health. Jan’s research pursues better practices for using community science to increase environmental health literacy and reduce poor health outcomes in neighborhoods suffering from air pollution overburden. Jan has employed low-cost sensors and community-engaged methods to teach residents how to collect environmental data, interpret results, and report findings to peers, decision-makers, and media outlets. While critical of academia’s role in perpetuating structural racism and other injustices, Jan appreciates his ability to act as a connector between community members, researchers, policymakers, and funders–sharing institutional resources, knowledge, and power with the people driving grassroots efforts. Beyond research, Jan serves a coalition of students, faculty, and staff who seek collective bargaining rights, living wages, and better working conditions for all University System of Maryland employees. If he isn’t picking up his phone, you can probably find him at the Greenbelt Skatepark, trying to land a passable ollie.
