معرفی
Alissa Cordner is an Associate Professor of Sociology and Paul Garrett Fellow at Whitman College, where she teaches courses in sociology and environmental studies such as Environmental Sociology, Environmental Health, and Environmental Justice. Her research focuses on environmental sociology, risk and disaster sociology, and science-policy intersections.
- Education: Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from Brown University (2013, 2010); B.A. in Sociology and French from Bowdoin College (2004).
Her work examines two major areas: risk and uncertainty in environmental health controversies (particularly around industrial chemicals like PFAS) and wildfire risk management in the context of climate change. She co-directs the PFAS Project Lab with Northeastern University and collaborates with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Management. Her 2016 book Toxic Safety analyzes how stakeholders contest chemical risks and received the ASA Environmental Sociology Schnaiberg Award.
Recent publications include studies on PFAS contamination activism, federal testing in tribal water systems, wildfire media coverage, and environmental justice under political transitions. Her research often combines qualitative methods with interdisciplinary collaboration, including student involvement.
- Scientific Awards:
- International Society of Exposure Science Paper of the Year (2020)
- G. Thomas Edwards Award for Teaching-Scholarship Integration (2020)
- ASA Environmental Sociology Schnaiberg Award (2018)
Professor Cordner also serves as a volunteer wildland firefighter with Walla Walla County Fire District #4, bridging her academic and practical engagement with environmental crises.
