简介

Dr. Tracy Irani is the Chair of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences. She holds the rank of Professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. She is a nationally recognized social scientist in the areas of public understanding of science and technology, crisis and risk communication, and public opinion issues analysis. Results from her research have been published in over 100 peer reviewed publications and over 150 conference presentations/proceedings, and her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the American Lung Association and the USDA. She has supervised over 35 graduate and post-doctoral students, including ten PHD students. Her research looking at public response to issues of importance in agricultural and natural resource contexts has been featured nationally and led to initial development of the Center for Public Issues Education, which currently supports three faculty members, three post-doctoral associates, five staff and 11 graduate students. Her work in developing the center culminated in a successful state legislative budget request, which currently funds the center on a recurring basis. She has received numerous national and international awards for her research, and currently serves as Research Director for the Association of Communications Excellence.