Courtney Brooke Kurlanska

Courtney Brooke Kurlanska is an Assistant Professor of Teaching at The Global School, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), affiliated with the Department of Integrative & Global Studies. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the State University of New York at Albany (2012), an MS in Urban Studies from the University of New Orleans (2005), and a BA in Anthropology from Brandeis University (summa cum laude, 1999). Her research focuses on global issues through an ethnographic lens, emphasizing the intersection of social and solidarity economy with sustainable development. She advocates for applied anthropology to inform public policy, driven by her Peace Corps experiences highlighting the need for development reforms.

Dr. Kurlanska’s work includes studies on microfinance in Nicaragua (NSF-funded), Peruvian migrant remittance strategies, and global citizenship education. Awards include the Eleanor Roosevelt Global Citizenship Award (2010) and AAA Leadership Fellow (2016). She promotes inclusive pedagogy and project-based learning, exemplified in her flipped classroom approach during the pandemic.

• Grants: NSF grant for microfinance research, Institute for Meso-American Studies, and New York Latino Research Network funding.
• Affiliations: American Anthropological Association, Development Studies Association, Society for Applied Anthropology.

Her current research explores social solidarity economy models, emphasizing community-driven sustainable development. She leads initiatives in WPI’s Global School, integrating interdisciplinary approaches to address global challenges.