Kristen Surla (she/her/siya) is a DEI Training and Curriculum Specialist focused on faculty and staff development at the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. She is currently finishing her PhD in the Higher, Adult, and
Lifelong Education Program at Michigan State University. Her dissertation research interrogates the navigation of academic socialization, funding structures, and identity capitalism by BIPOC graduate students in science fields. Kris also infuses art into all aspects of her life including community engagement, teaching, and wellness. She believes in the power of art making as a healing practice that encourages deep reflection and more expansive modes of communication.
