Jane Lehr

Dr. Jane L. Lehr is a Professor jointly appointed in the Ethnic Studies and Women's, Gender & Queer Studies (WGQS) Departments at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). She serves as the inaugural Director of the Office of Student Research and Director of Research Engagement for the College of Liberal Arts. Her academic leadership includes prior roles as Chair of WGQS, Faculty Director of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) in STEM, and Co-Chair of the National Women's Studies Association's Science & Technology Taskforce. Lehr holds a Ph.D. in Science & Technology Studies and Women’s Studies from Virginia Tech.

Her research focuses on intersections of gender, race, science, technology, and education, with emphasis on socially responsible computing, equity in STEM, and global engineering. She teaches courses such as *ES/WGQS 345: Queer Ethnic Studies* and *ES/WGQS 350: Gender, Race, Culture, Science & Technology*, integrating intersectional and decolonial frameworks. Her work bridges academia and practice, including initiatives like the PEEPS S-STEM program and co-curricular engagement for transfer students.

Lehr’s scholarly contributions span methodologies centered on marginalized voices, trauma-informed research, and equitable syllabi design. She has led projects funded by the NSF and collaborated internationally, including at King's College London. Her recent articles emphasize socially responsible computing in underrepresented institutions and reimagining engineering education through global and ethical lenses.

Her grants and programs, like the PEEPS cohort scholarship and Mavac mapping project, reflect her commitment to institutional change and student success. Lehr’s work extends to community partnerships, such as Engineers Without Borders, and performance-based science communication. She actively advocates for inclusive pedagogies and systemic equity in higher education.