Directors
The PLACES directors are responsible for coordinating and organizing the research activities of the institute and all related matters.
- Alexander R. Thomas, Ph.D., Executive Director
- Gregory M. Fulkerson, Ph.D., Director
Affiliates
PLACES Affiliates are SUNY Oneonta faculty actively engaged in the activities of the PLACES Institute.
- Sallie Han, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology, Medical Anthropology, Qualitative Analysis, COVID Stories Project
- Brett Heindl, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Program Coordinator, People on the Move
- Elizabeth Seale, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology, Qualtrics Administration, Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
- Kirsten Kemmerer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology, Qualtrics Administration, Quantitative Analysis
- Leanne Avery, Ph.D., Professor of Education, Rural Communities and Education
- Lisa Curch, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology
PLACES Scholars (Students)
PLACES Scholars are SUNY Oneonta undergraduate students who have completed a research practicum as part of PLACES Institute program.
2024 - Morgan Whittington: Morgan conducted a research practicum with the City of Oneonta's Community Development Office. She spearheading the Climate Smart Communities initiative. She also served as a member of the Vibrant Communities team.
2023 - Jessica Nicholas, Emma Smith, and Ginger McMahon: These students participated in preparing several of the community profile reports that are now published. They actively engaged in primary data collection for several communities and helped to prepare overviews and introductions to many communities.
2022 - Aleksander Gregov: Alek participated in the coding of downtown areas as part of the Vibrant Communities program. He conducted research on individual communities’ internet presence, coded multiple downtown areas, and is co-author of several community profiles.
2021 - Maria Solis-Bonilla: Maria was the first PLACES Scholar, and she conducted work on the perception of realtors in eastern New York state in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Maria worked on the sampling frame, survey instrument, and analysis of the data. She is co-author of the report, A Seller’s Market: A Survey of Realtors in Upstate New York.