The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Former Senior Staff

Managing Director

Grove's responsibilities included organizational capacity and development, research, outreach, public presentations, administration, and financial management. She oversaw the work of our Affiliates. Particular areas of interest are Teachers' Resources, Statistics, and the Directory. Her research and writing has included the section on Paganism for the CD-Rom On Common Ground: World Religions In America. She earned her B.A. in women's studies, business, and religion from the University of Massachusetts (1992). Her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School (1996) incorporated studies of organizational development and business management into the study of religion and ethics. She joined the Pluralism Project in 1994.

Bio

Research Coordinator

Erin graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a Master of Theological Studies degree where she primarily focused on the intersection of religious experience, art, and visual culture. Originally from Los Angeles, she received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in English and Art History (2004). Erin has been working with the Pluralism Project for two years on various projects including Religious Diversity News and profiling organizations that work at the intersection of arts and activism. She is especially interested in how visual art, song, and dance help to create religious and cultural identity in contemporary faith communities. She will continue these projects moving forward, as well as coordinating Project research and events.

Assistant Director

Kathryn began her work with the Pluralism Project as a student researcher on the Women’s Networks initiative in 2000. Her own research for the Project has been focused on women’s interfaith organizing, which formed the basis for our 2007 Radcliffe Seminar on “Women’s Interfaith Initiatives After 9/11.” As assistant director, Kathryn manages student research, manages our summer research programs, provides administrative and financial oversight, and participates in a number of local and national initiatives, conferences, and events on behalf of the Project. Kathryn received her BA in psychology, religion, and women’s studies from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota (1999) and her Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School (2003). She is currently serving on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches, and is the President Elect of the National Council of Churches USA.

Research Coordinator

Deonnie recently graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a Master of Divinity degree and a focus on Hinduism. Originally from Naperville, Illinois she earned a B.A. from Hope College where she majored in both international studies and German, with a minor in religion. While at Hope, she studied in Austria, Germany and India. She has since spent a collective six months in India. Deonnie has been working with the Pluralism Project for three years on various projects including Religious Diversity News, World Religions in Boston, and the StoryCorps project (in conjunction with NPR and the Library of Congress). She has also conducted research on Hinduism in the United States and coordinated numerous events and conferences hosted by the Pluralism Project. She will continue these projects moving forward, as well as coordinating staff research.

Webmaster

Alan is currently a Ph.D. student in the Committee on the Study of Religion at Harvard, focusing on Chinese Buddhism. He received his B.A. in philosophy from Pomona College (1992), and his master of theological studies from Harvard Divinity School (1998). Alan has been working for the Pluralism Project for since 1998, and over the years has implemented a complete site redesign, several searchable databases, an online research submission process, and many other interactive features. He is also the webmaster of the Harvard Buddhist Community and Lowell House, and does freelance web development as well. Alan eschews the use of web design software, preferring to write all his code by hand.

Former Research Associates (prior to 2006)

Web Assistant

Heather began working for the Pluralism Project as student research coordinator for affiliate Corrie Norman's Gender, Food, and Meaning: Mapping Religious Diversity in Charlotte, NC project. As an undergraduate, Heather traveled to Italy, Germany, and Israel conducting research before completing her B.A. in religious studies and modern languages at Converse College (2003). Heather completed her master of theological studies degree at Harvard Divinity School in 2005 and will be a Ph.D. candidate in religion at the University of Toronto in the fall. Her primary responsibilities while at the Pluralism Project included updating the website and maintaining the Events Calendar and the Religious Calendar.

Research Associate

Hilary is a first year master of theological studies student at Harvard Divinity School. Born and raised in Louisville, she graduated from Western Kentucky University where she majored in religious studies and history. At the Pluralism Project, she researches Buddhist immigrant communities in the United States and interfaith networks.

Research Associate

Originally from Jeannette, Pennsylvania and a graduate in religion from Oberlin College, Mara is a second year master of theological studies student at Harvard Divinity School. She studies the fundamental relationship between theology and philosophy and the place of that relationship in political discourse. She is editor of Religious Diversity News, and provides support services to the director.

Development Associate

Scott worked on development for the Pluralism Project, researching prospective grant opportunities. During the summer of 2004, he conducted research on The Religious Diversity of the Northern Plains: North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Formerly a program manager for the Center for International Health and Development, Scott is now a graduate of Harvard Divinity School. His B.A. is from Earlham College.

Intern

Aaron spent the summer of 2004 researching the demographics, economics, and religiosity of major cities across the nation to be incorporated into our website in the fall. Aaron is a rising junior at Brandeis University studying PPE (philosophy, politics, and economics) as well as European cultural studies. For the 2004-2005 academic year, he is attending Oxford University in England to study law.

Intern

Chris' primary research at the Pluralism Project focused on the intersection of politics and religion in America generally, and issues of religion in the 2004 Presidential Election more specifically. He worked on composing resources for the study of religion, politics, and the electorate, and tracked stories relating to religion for our Religious Diversity News. Chris received an MA in social science from the University of Chicago in 2001 and studied religion, philosophy, and anthropology as an undergraduate at Miami University in Ohio.

Intern

Brian completed his master of divinity at Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tennessee with an emphasis on Christian doctrine and the interactions between Christians and other faiths. At the Pluralism Project he worked on profiling the Hindu Center in northeast Tennesee as well as researched discrimination in the Air Force Academy, the National Meeting of Interfaith Councils at Princeton, and Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

Intern

Sarah was an intern for the Pluralism Project for the summer of 2003. She created profiles for Interfaith centers in Boston, updated our directory and maintained office files. 'She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in May 2004. 'She is originally from San Diego, CA.

Research Associate

Clare is a graduate student in the Master of Theological Studies program at Harvard Divinity School where she studied religions of South Asia and religious diversity in America. She received her B.A. in religion with a minor in human services from the George Washington University (2000) and has spent time living in India. She began her research for the Pluralism Project as an Affiliate, mapping Hindu and Buddhist centers in Washington, DC. Clare researched 'Vedanta Societies in America.' She worked primarily on the Religious Diversity News section of the website.

Research Associate

Brianne is a second year master of theological studies student at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on Islamic studies and counseling psychology. Originally from Los Angeles, she received her B.A. in Religion and English Creative Writing from Colgate University, and has spent time living in St. Andrews, Scotland, Pune City, India and Fes, Morocco. At the Pluralism Project, Brianne provides support services to the director.

Research Associate

Sabeen is a first year student in the International Education Policy program at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Prior to this, she was in Washington, DC, working on education policy research and programs. She has been involved for many years in youth development programs for first and second-generation Muslim youth in the US, especially in developing interactive training programs. Sabeen graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Government in 2002. Her current research interests include gender equity issues in Latin America and the Middle East. Sabeen's work at the Pluralism Project focuses on issues of religious pluralism as they relate to civic government.

Intern

Jayme researched Interfaith endeavors within the Jewish community, including Abrahamic Salons and Orthodox Jews' views of dialogue. Her essays are online; please visit Resources by Tradition: Judaism. In addition, she helped to evaluate some Jewish related educational materials and updated the Boston Jewish center profiles on our website. A rising junior at Harvard University studying Religion and English, Jayme is also chair for education at Harvard Hillel.

Research Associate

Liz's work for the Project included organizing our slide collection and a multitude of other support services.

Research Associate

Terence wrote and edited our Religious Diversity News. Terence is a student at Harvard Divinity School. His study interests include religion, culture, and politics. Terence earned his B.A. in theology from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Intern

Jessica, an undergraduate at Middlebury College, worked for the Pluralism Project for the summer of 2002 providing a multitude of support services.

Intern

Mathilda is a rising junior at Oberlin College, where she is majoring in religion with a possible focus on Southeast Asian religions and a minor in psychology. At the Pluralism Project, she researched Sikh participation in U.S. civic life, the new Mandir and Cultural Complex in Chino Hills, California, and various happenings in the South Asian community.

Research Associate

In his second year with the Pluralism Project, Jack wrote for Religious Diversity News.

Research Associate

Nan is currently a graduate student in the Masters of Theological Studies program at Harvard Divinity School. She received her BA in history from the University of Georgia and has lived and taught in Japan. She wrote for Religious Diversity News and helped coordinate outreach for secondary school teachers. She is now student teaching and writing her thesis.

Web Assistant

Dev graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in computer science in 2004. While at the Pluralism Project, he assisted Alan with programming.

Staff Associate

At the Pluralism Project Wendy performed a variety of tasks including educational outreach.

Intern

An undergraduate at Dartmouth College, Jillian mapped New Hampshire and worked for the Pluralism Project during summer 2003, adding profiles and collecting news articles on New Hampshire for Religious Diversity News.

Research Associate

Stephanie received her MTS from Harvard Divinity School (2004), where she studied Muslim-Christian relations. She was a recipient of the Thomas Watson Fellowship to research and write poetry in Europe and the Middle East, and has worked as a journalist in Beirut, Lebanon. In the fall of 2004, she will be traveling to Syria to study Muslim-Christian relations on a Fulbright Scholarship. Her B.A. is from Middlebury College. She writes for our Religious Diversity News.

Web Assistant

Mauli graduated in the Harvard College Class of 2003 with a concentration in computer science. In March 2002, she seized the opportunity of working at the Pluralism Project to blend her interest in different religions with learning web technologies. At the Pluralism Project, she primarily worked on putting both new and current affiliates' work online; this included creating slide shows of photo submissions, and posting essays and other materials. She also maintained the Events Calendar and the Religious Calendar. She also created a few how-to documents for posterity (for people doing her work after she leaves). In addition, her work included various other web tasks.

Research Associate

Matt worked extensively in database management and website maintenence. Matt's persistence and meticulous attention to detail were much appreciated during his time at the Pluralism Project. Matt is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School who is currently exploring teaching opportunities in California.

Photo Editor, Web Assistant and Systems Manager

Bjorn is a graduate of the Master of Theological Studies program at Harvard Divinity School where he studied world religions, science and religion, philosophical theology, and Buddhism. He recieved his B.A. in music and comparative religion from Western Michigan University in 1999. Bjorn's current interests are in international law, human rights, and conflict resolution. At the Pluralism Project, Bjorn edited photo submissions and formatted them for Online Slide Shows, and also managed the office network of Macintosh computers.

Intern

Jessie is entering her senior year at Barnard College where she is a religion major concentrating in religion in modern America. For the Pluralism Project, she profiled the Islamic Society of Boston Community Center and the Mosque for the Praising of Allah in Roxbury, Masjid al-Qur'an in Dorchester and the Satsang Center in Woburn. In addition, she wrote research reports on Muslim Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and the religious sensitivity training of police officers in Chicago.

Research Associate

Originally from Iowa, Jennifer is a first year MTS at Harvard Divinity School. She assists with Religious Diversity News.

Intern

Grant, an undergraduate at Connecticut College, interned for the Pluralism Project in the Summer of 2001 performing a variety of tasks including writing materials for the revised version of On Common Ground: World Religions in America.

Research Associate

Beth received her Master of Theological Studies degree from Harvard Divinity School in June, 2002. She received a BA from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, with majors in biology and religion. While at Harvard, she studied ethics, conflict resolution, pluralism, and science and religion. Her work at the Pluralism Project began in Septemeber 2000 with office support and the creation of the searchable Religious Diversity News archives. During the summer of 2001, she conducted affiliate research on interfaith organizations in St. Paul, MN. In 2002, her responsibilities included updating the Events Calendar and the Religious Calendar, and helping to post more information on the Affiliate pages.

Field Education Associate

Tony is a second year master of divinity student at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on comparative Christian-Muslim theology and history, with an interest in pilgrimage, martyrdom, monasticism, and conceptions of the "other." Hailing from Virginia, Tony earned a B.A. in international relations and an M.S. in information and telecommunication systems from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to coming to Harvard, he worked in numerous corporate executive roles in Asia, Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Subcontinent. He also worked as an adjunct instructor of Computer Science at WVU Tech. Tony also serves as the Program Assistant for the Islam in the West project at Harvard University. Tony's work at the Pluralism Project is focused on our new international initiative, public policy and management, and research.

Research Associate

Ryan received his master of theology from Harvard Divinity School in 2005, with a focus on Muslim-Christian relations. At the Pluralism Project, he researched the "National Day of Prayer" and Muslim-Christian relations. Ryan is also interested in understanding the dynamic between diverse religious communities and city government.

Research Associate

Tracy works with our Religious Diversity News, searching for articles to include and entering the international articles into the databse. In the past, she has researched interfaith organizations, which began in her first year at the project (2003) with a survey of interfaith groups in Boston, available in the online version of World Religions in Boston. Originally from Lexington, South Carolina, she earned a B.A. in English and religion from Furman University and conducted student affiliate research mapping religious diversity in South Carolina in the summer of 2003. She is currently a third year M.T.S. student at Harvard Divinity School, where she is a participant in the Program in Religion and Secondary Education.

Web Assistant

Steve graduated from Harvard College in 2005 with a concentration in computer science. At the Pluralism Project, he assisted Alan with web administration, set up the website search, and posted new materials from the Pluralism Projects affiliates around the world.

Intern

Meredith will soon be transferring to Barnard College with a concentration in Art History, Studio Art, and English. As someone who is half-Chinese/Catholic and half Jewish/Caucasian, she is especially interested in issues of religious and ethnic diversity and has been very active in the Anti-Defamation League's No Place for Hate campaign. At the Pluralism Project, Meredith profiled the Andover Chinmaya Mission/Chinmaya Maruti in Boston. She wrote research reports on violence and vandalism in religious communities and on woman-led prayers in the Islamic community.

Research Associate

Christina worked with our online directories and other research projects and supporting tasks. During the summer of 2004, she conducted research for the Pluralism Project on Interfaith Youth Service through her internship at the Interfaith Youth Core in Chicago. Her hometown is Marshall, Michigan. She attained a B.S. in learning and organizational change from Northwestern University and is now a second year M.Div. student at Harvard Divinity School.

Pluralism Project Staff Gathering May 2003

Pluralism Project Staff Gathering December 2001