Joseph JeanGraduate Studenthe/him/his

I am an indigenous (Navajo) queer PhD student studying Civil Society & Community Research.

In conjunction with my full-time studies, I have continuously held joint positions as: a teaching assistant for undergraduate courses in my department and American Indian & Indigenous Studies; a program assistantship position, previously with the Institute for Research on Poverty; and, currently, the Center for Design and Material Culture. Through these appointments, I aim to foster success among students while also engaging in research and evaluation centered on community-level programs which improve the well-being of indigenous communities.

Receiving a Master of Public Health from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, I also received a BS in the same field with a minor in biological sciences. During this time, I specialized in social and behavioral health while utilizing qualitative and quantitative research methods. My areas of focus included complementary and alternative medicine, program implementation and evaluation, HIV prevention, and sexual health.

Additionally, I have work experience as a research assistant in an environmental science laboratory, monitoring outdoor allergenic airborne pollen and mold. I have received certification as a pollen and mold counter with the National Allergy Bureau. My work was crucial in understanding annual allergen trends in the urbanized desert environment of Las Vegas, Nevada, and in providing daily information for the local community regarding allergen levels. My research has been presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology annual meeting and published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.