The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Research Intern

Kristen Arn is a junior at Harvard College. Her academic areas of interests include the study of comparative religions and social psychology. Kristen is involved in the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, where she coordinates events to bring international political and social leaders into conversation with Harvard undergraduates. She also dedicates much of her time to the Crimson Key Society, a social service organization that organizes campus wide events and participates in community outreach to Cambridge middle schools.

Research Intern

Isabel Hebert is a sophomore at Harvard College. Her main academic interests include the study of comparative religion and ethics. Isabel worked with PeacePlayers International (PPI), where she assisted with grant requests in PPI's Washington, DC office and helped to organize their efforts to assist children in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. At the Pluralism Project, Isabel will help manage the distribution of educational resources, contribute to the planning of Pluralism Project events, and assist with other administrative tasks.

Community Associate

Alex attended American University in Washington, DC and Millersville University of Pennsylvania for his BA in Cultural Anthropology. He holds a Master of Arts degree from Dartmouth College in Cultural Anthropology/Public Policy. His research interests include interfaith and intercultural dialogue, religious and cultural diversity in urban communities, immigration, and Latinos in higher education. His career has been in higher education, serving as Assistant Dean of Student Life in the Office of Pluralism and Leadership (OPAL) at Dartmouth College as an academic advisor, and a guest lecturer in the Departments of Religion and Sociology. He is engaged in Mennonite service programs and organizations in the United States.

Research Associate

Whittney Barth is a third year Master of Divinity student at Harvard Divinity School. She received her BA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in American Studies and Comparative Religion with a minor in Political Science. In addition to her academic interest in religious pluralism in America, Whittney has interned with the Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), and with the Abrahamic Program for Young Adults (APYA) at the Chautauqua Institution. Whittney’s thesis explores the intersections of religious pluralism and ecological ethics through place-based education. At the Pluralism Project, Whittney will be working on Religious Diversity News.

Research Associate

Abbas Jaffer is a second year Master of Theological Studies student at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on Islamic Studies. He received his BA in Global Political Economy with a minor in Sociology from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. His academic work focuses on gender in South Asian Muslim communities, and ideas of masculinity in particular. At the Pluralism Project, Abbas will research issues of gender and leadership in the American Muslim community for the Case Study Initiative.

Research Associate; Field Education Placement

Jaisy Joseph is a Master of Divinity student at Harvard Divinity School. Her main areas of academic interest are the history and theology of pre-colonial Christianities, particularly those that developed outside of direct Roman influence (Syriac, Coptic, and Greek). Jaisy is interested in how the migration of Eastern Christianities enriches and challenges notions of Christianity in the United States. She authored The Struggle for Identity Among Syro-Malabar Catholics, a text presently used in Sunday School classrooms to teach the emerging second generation of Syro-Malabar Catholics about their history. At the Pluralism Project, Jaisy is completing a field education placement, conducting research on the encounter and engagement between Eastern and Roman Catholic Christianities in Greater Boston for our Case Study Initiative and our World Religions in Greater Boston resource.

Research Associate

Shenila Khoja-Moolji graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 2010 with a Master of Theological Studies degree focused on Islamic Studies and gender. She is currently pursuing a Master in International Educational Development at Teacher’s College, Columbia University. Shenila also serves as the Communications Coordinator for His Highness the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for North Eastern United States. Her academic research interests include women’s development and the role of education in promoting social justice. At the Pluralism Project, Shenila is examining the emerging Muslim chaplaincy, and in particular female Muslim chaplains’ contribution to the development of civil society.

Research Associate

Zachary Ugolnik graduated from Harvard Divinity School with a Master of Theological Studies where he focused on Eastern Christian Studies. He received his BA from Syracuse University in Religion and International Relations, and minored in Photojournalism. Zachary is interested in engaging Eastern Christianity in comparative analysis and dialogue with other traditions, especially through the exploration of visual culture. At the Pluralism Project, Zachary researched Eastern Orthodox Christianity for World Religions in Greater Boston. He currently provides research and administrative support for Dr. Diana Eck.

Research Associate

Lina Verchery received a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 2010. Lina makes films that explore religious issues, having most recently written and directed La Trappe/The Trap , a bilingual documentary about Buddhist monks and Acadian lobster fishermen on Cape Breton island. “La Trappe” won “Best French-Canadian Short Film” at the Festival International du Cinéma Francophone en Acadie (FICFA) in 2008. Lina is currently working on a number of projects that combine her academic work in Religious Studies with her passion for filmmaking, including an entry on film and religion for a forthcoming Religious Studies textbook and several film projects. At the Pluralism Project, Lina is exploring the use of documentary film as a tool for enhancing the Case Study method.