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The ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óª is excited to welcome the eighth cohort of Public Impact Fellows, a program run by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs in partnership with the Division of University Relations.

The Public Impact Fellows (PIF) program is designed to help faculty share their groundbreaking research beyond the classroom and the lab. Fellows learn how to tell the story of their work—and maximize its impact—through media interviews, opinion pieces, social media, and engaging with policymakers. Over the course of the yearlong program, participants meet regularly and have opportunities to connect with journalists, community leaders, and University leadership.

Meet the 2025-2026 Public Impact Fellows

• Daniel Baack, professor in the Daniels College of Business
  Baack studies how consumers process information and how culture shapes marketing and advertising. He also explores creativity in advertising and the role of diversity and inclusion in business. Currently director of ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óªâ€™s Executive PhD program, Baack has been published in more than 30 peer-reviewed journal publications and coauthored a textbook on international marketing.
• Christy Cobb, associate professor in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
  Cobb is a biblical scholar who examines gender, slavery, and sexuality in early Christianity. Cobb’s writing focuses on the Gospels, Acts, and apocryphal writings, uncovering ways that social structures influenced ancient narratives.
• Debak Das, assistant professor in the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs
  Das studies international security, nuclear proliferation, history, and crises. His research, published in both scholarly and policy outlets, ranges from nuclear weapons to cybersecurity in international politics.
• Rinku Dewri, associate professor in the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science
  Dewri studies computer security and data privacy, focusing on the trade-offs and costs of keeping data safe. His work includes protecting network security, enabling private data sharing, and understanding the risks of data collection. Currently, he is exploring ways to improve privacy communications and enhance situational awareness in critical infrastructure networks.
• Kelly Elliott, research faculty in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology
  Elliott works to create environments where children and caregivers can thrive. Through ³Ô¹Ï´ó±¾Óªâ€™s Baby S.T.E.P.S. Lab (Supporting Teachers, Educators, Parents, and Service providers), she develops play-based programs that support children’s social-emotional growth and trains healthcare providers and graduate students to strengthen familial relationships.
• Brette Garner, associate professor in the Morgridge College of Education
  Garner studies mathematics education and teacher training, focused on developing systemic and pedagogical approaches that lead to better educational outcomes. Garner has published articles on the importance of mental health support and professional development for teachers, and how a teacher’s movements throughout the classroom impact the learning environment.
• Andrew Goetz, professor in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
  Goetz’s research explores transportation planning, transit-oriented development, high-speed rail, and the links between infrastructure and economic growth. Goetz has authored four books and more than 60 peer-reviewed publications, and he has led funded research projects examining topics of transit infrastructure and metropolitan planning at the state and local levels.
• Justin Marceau, professor in the Sturm College of Law
  Marceau’s work spans criminal law, civil rights, and animal law. He co-founded the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project, has published extensively in academic journals and in textbooks, and combines scholarship with real-world advocacy to make an impact on both human and animal protections.
• Kevin Morris, research professor in the Graduate School of Social Work
  As executive director of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, Morris studies the human-animal bond and how interactions with animals can improve health and well-being. He works with organizations around the world to measure the positive impacts of animal-assisted interventions in different communities, ranging from prison inmates to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.