Email
cbrown2@wpi.edu
Office
SL 310e
ORCiD
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2300-6774
Dr. Crystal Brown- Professional Website
Affiliated Department or Office
International & Global Studies
Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (GSWS)
Africana Studies
Associate Director of Policy Studies Program
Education
PhD in Political Science- University of Oregon
Master of Public Administration (MPA)- Pennsylvania State University
Certificate in Data Analytics- Harvard University

Dr. Crystal Brown earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oregon in Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Public Administration. She also has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Pennsylvania State University and a certificate in Data Analytics from Harvard University.

She is an internationally focused scholar who examines the inclusivity of marginalized groups such as immigrants, people of color, Black people, women, and others. 

As a computational social scientist, she uses mixed methods, combining statistical approaches with qualitative techniques to find insights beyond numerical data. Dr. Brown’s work seeks to understand real-world problems related to politics and policy and the lived experiences of those they impact. 

Email
cbrown2@wpi.edu
Affiliated Department or Office
International & Global Studies
Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (GSWS)
Africana Studies
Associate Director of Policy Studies Program
Education
PhD in Political Science- University of Oregon
Master of Public Administration (MPA)- Pennsylvania State University
Certificate in Data Analytics- Harvard University

Dr. Crystal Brown earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Oregon in Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Public Administration. She also has a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Pennsylvania State University and a certificate in Data Analytics from Harvard University.

She is an internationally focused scholar who examines the inclusivity of marginalized groups such as immigrants, people of color, Black people, women, and others. 

As a computational social scientist, she uses mixed methods, combining statistical approaches with qualitative techniques to find insights beyond numerical data. Dr. Brown’s work seeks to understand real-world problems related to politics and policy and the lived experiences of those they impact. 

Office
SL 310e
ORCiD
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2300-6774
Dr. Crystal Brown- Professional Website
Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 5: Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

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SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

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SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities - Reduce inequality within and among countries

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SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

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SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

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Research Interests
comparative politics; international relations; public policies
women, marginalized groups; inclusivity
race/ethnic and politics; immigration; integration
STEM Education

Scholarly Work

Coutts, A., Brown, C., & Bernardi, F. (2025). Signals of inclusion: How faculty demographics impact the use of identity safety cues in undergraduate STEM syllabi. Frontiers in Education. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1514339

Brown, C., McCauley, S. M., & Adler-Abramo, R. (June 2024). Inclusivity Overlooked: A Case Study of People with Disabilities’ Inclusion in Climate Resilience Planning in Massachusetts. Journal of Environmental Justice. https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2023.0084.

Bernardi, F., Brown, C., Davis, L., Ephraim, M., Moody, R., & Trubko, R. (June 2024). Cultivating Inclusivity in Introductory Undergraduate STEM Course Syllabi. Nature’s  Humanities & Social Science Communications. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03276-y.

Brown, C. (2024). Review of Property, Institutions, and Social Stratification in Africa by Franklin Obeng-Odoom. The Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. https://doi.org/10.1017/rep.2024.1

Brown, C. (June 2023). Sustainable Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: Combining Indigenous Knowledge and Modern Technology. UN Sustainable Development Goals- Science, Technology, and Innovation. https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2023-05/B38%20-%20Brown%20-%20Assessing%20African%20Led%20Science-Technological%20Innovation%20Approaches%20to%20Climate%20Change%20Adaptation.pdf

Brown, C. (2021). Review of Political Blackness in Multiracial Britain by Mohan Ambikaipaker. The Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. https://doi.org/10.1017/rep.2019.59

Professional Affiliations
American Political Science Association (APSA)
International Studies Association (ISA)
Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA)
National Conference for Black Political Scientists (NCOBPS)
International Public Policy Association (IPPA)
Professional Highlights & Honors
Fulbright Schuman Scholar in Denmark and Sweden, 2017 - 2018
United States Fulbright Scholar Program

News

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Announcements

Media Coverage

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Inside Higher ED
How professors can foster inclusivity with their syllabus

Inside Higher Ed highlighted recent research by WPI researchers who looked into how syllabi can signal inclusivity in the classroom. The study, originally published in Nature's Humanities and Social Sciences Connections, was authored by Francesca Bernardi, Crystal Brown, Lindsay Davis, Michelle Ephraim, Rebecca Moody and Raisa Trubko. 

Associated Press
Ukraine invasion spotlights the delicate state of democracy

The Associated Press spoke with Assistant Professor of Social Science & Policy Studies Crystal Brown about how the Russian invasion of Ukraine threatens democracy, and how Vladimir Putin has used the appearance and infrastructure of democracy to gain, and keep, power.