Community Studies Center

Jessica Giles, Director, Community Studies
BA, University of California, Berkeley
EdM, Harvard University
PhD, University of California, San Diego

Jessica Giles is assistant professor of community studies and contemplative psychology, and director of the Community Studies Center. Dr. Giles' work focuses on the development of aggression, gender development and the prevention of violence. In addition to these topics, Dr. Giles' teaching interests range from research methods and history of science to third wave feminism, poststructuralism and critical race theory. She is currently coordinating the civic engagement seminars and supporting youth activism through HUM 330/331: Democracy, Education, and Social Change. She also advises the Naropa Hunger Project and Project THINK TANK! and a melee of other student vision quests. When she is not being a social scientist, Dr. Giles is busy climbing, skiing or surfing, or banging away haphazardly at the djembe.