Derin O. Atalay is the Director of Liberal Arts Action Lab and Lecturer in Public Policy and Law. They got their doctoral degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. Their research focuses on queer spaces and the involvement of LGBTQ communities in the local decision-making processes. Derin’s dissertation is a multi-method study of participation of LGBTQ+ communities in planning processes and inclusive city politics in contemporary urban Turkey and the United States. Their research contributes to a growing body of literature on collaborative city governance, inclusive city politics, the civic engagement, place making and queer critique. Their work on the intersections of Urban Studies and LGBTQ issues has been published on various peer reviewed journals such as Journal of Lesbian Studies, Geography Research Forum and edited books. Derin received their master’s and bachelor’s degrees in urban planning from University at Buffalo, SUNY and Istanbul Technical University, respectively.
Jeffrey Partridge (on Sabbatical Leave) serves as the Action Lab Faculty Director at CT State Community College Capital, where he also is Professor of English and Department Chair of the Humanities. He also directs the Hartford Heritage Project, supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, to make connections between the CT State courses and Hartford’s rich and diverse cultural institutions, landmarks, and neighborhoods.
Hilary E. Wyss is the Faculty Lead of CHER, and Allan K. Smith and Gwendolyn Miles Smith Professor of English. She specializes in early American women writers, eighteenth-century transatlantic writing, and contemporary Native American literatures. She has authored numerous works on Native American literacy and served in leadership roles in academic journals and societies. Her teaching focuses on exploring underrepresented voices to deepen the understanding of American literature and identity.
Erna Alić is the Program Manager of the Center of Hartford Engagement and Research (CHER). Erna arrived with her family as refugees from Bosnia and Herzgovina in the early 2000s and grew up in Hartford. Since graduating from UConn in 2021 with a Human Rights and Psychology degree she has held leadership positions in human rights focused nonprofits and worked in Hartford organizations like Hartford Promise and the Hartford Public Library. She currently serves as Commissioner and Secretary for the Hartford Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (CRIA).
Sabin Limbu is a Program Assistant at the Liberal Arts Action Lab. Sabin is an international student from Bhutan double majoring in Economics and Environmental Science with a minor in Asian Studies at Trinity College. Sabin is passionate about community service and is involved in various organizations such as JELLO Community Service, ConnectiKids, Trinity Environmental and Climate Justice, Trin Divest, and Habitat for Humanity.
Seth Papay is a Teaching Assistant at the Liberal Arts Action Lab. He is a senior at Trinity, majoring in History. In the Spring of 2025, he will be assisting with the Research Methods course and offering specialized instruction to students working on engagement projects. In the Fall of 2024, Seth participated in the Frog Hollow Neighborhood Development Project, working with the Frog Hollow NRZ to address issues of urban blight in Hartford.
Our team is excited to connect with you! Please contact us for any questions or concerns.