Dr. Lacreuse is a professor in the Psychological and Brain Sciences graduate program and head of the Hormones and Cognition Lab. She studies age-related cognitive decline in nonhuman primates to improve understanding of human aging and Alzheimer’s disease. As a Public Engagement Project (PEP) Fellow, she plans to develop strategies to inform the public and policymakers about the critical importance of animal research for medical advances. Dr. Lacreuse also plans to advocate for more research transparency to help the public understand the facts about humane and ethical animal research.

The UMass Amherst Public Engagement Project is a collaboration between the Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR) and the Center for Research on Families (CRF). The PEP Faculty Fellowship has been made possible by funding from the UMass College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Humanities and Fine Arts, College of Natural Sciences, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Office of the Provost, University Relations, as well as the collaborating centers and institutes. There were eight faculty members named as Fellows in the 8th cohort this year. Fellows will receive a stipend and training in communicating about research outside of an academic setting. This project encourages communication and collaboration between researchers, journalists, lawmakers in Congress and the State House and practitioners not involved in academia.