Jean Hardy, Principal Investigator
Jean (he/him/his) is an Assistant Professor of Media & Information at Michigan State University where he directs the Rural Computing Research Consortium. His research uses ethnographic and design methods to understand the growing role of digital technology in rural communities. He teaches courses at MSU on user experience and rural computing. You can read more about him at his personal website: www.jean.lgbt
Stefani Vargas, Co-Principal Investigator
Stefani Vargas (she/her,ella) is a Peruvian American student affairs educator, speaker, consultant, trainer, community organizer, & social scientist with 10+ yrs of experience in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion work. Stefani runs the Student Equity & Engagement Center at Northern Michigan University where she is also the Co-Chair of The President's Committee on Diversity. Her work is rooted in community care, decolonization, & student development. She is a widely requested speaker, consultant, & trainer for organizations throughout the country on a variety of topics ranging from inclusive policy design to LGBT+ history & identity. Stefani’s current research focuses on the experiences of rural marginalized students in higher education, the intersections of technology & LGBT identity development, & institutional betrayal. She is an expert in butch/femme history and identity, stone identity, and fat liberation. Stefani is a first-generation American who was born & raised in Detroit however, she has called the UP home since 2010. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her chosen family, hiking with her dog Millie, & listening to podcasts.
Anne Jonas, Co-Investigator
Anne Jonas (she/her) is a qualitative researcher exploring the interrelation of digital technologies and social life. Her dissertation and postdoctoral work focuses on experiences of virtual schooling across the U.S., LGBTQ+ community information needs, and digital marginalization. She received her PhD at the UC Berkeley School of Information with a Designated Emphasis in Science and Technology Studies and is currently a Computing Innovation Fellow working with Professor Jean Hardy at Michigan State University. Previously, she worked in non-profits including the Barnard Center for Research on Women, the Participatory Culture Foundation, and GLSEN.
Alums of The LGBTQ Futures Project
Amy Lyn Howard (2018-2021) - Michigan Technological University
Riley Doll (2020) - Michigan State University
Caitlin Geier (2021-2022) - Michigan State University