Email
cdehner@wpi.edu
Office
Project Center 210B
Phone
+1 (508) 8315000 x4959
Education
BA University of Colorado, Boulder 1997
JD Boston College 2001
PhD Northeastern University 2009

Corey Denenberg Dehner is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Interdisciplinary Global Studies Division. She is Director of the Worcester Community Project Center and founder and Co-Director of the Massachusetts Water Resource Outreach Center. At WPI, Corey serves on the Sustainability Board; is a member of the WPI Project Inclusion Rubric Steering Committee; and Co-Chair of the Project Inclusion Faculty Subcommittee.

A public interest lawyer in her previous life, Corey was drawn to academia by its capacity to help facilitate attitudinal changes both on campus and off. Corey thrives on the energy of students fully engaged in a project with eyes wide open. While the IQP experience and community based research is largely intended to benefit the student researcher and community sponsor, Corey is delighted for the inevitable education she will receive as well. A successful student/teacher relationship results in students who realize their own capacity to be leaders on environmental or social issues and have an ignited desire to work toward social change. She enjoys teaching courses on community engagement, environmental justice, environmental law and policy and constitutional law. Corey has worked with numerous governmental and not-for-profit organizations on development of drinking water, environmental justice and dam removal policies within the state. She has worked with over 50 municipalities to assess the impact of private sector participation in public drinking water on cost to the consumer and levels of regulatory compliance. Corey plans to continue working with public drinking water utilities to address infrastructure needs and transparency of private utilities. Future research interests include working with local organizations and student teams to assess exposure rates of low-income and minority communities in Worcester to ecological hazards. Corey is a board member of the Massachusetts Watershed Coalition and a frequent participant in Regional Stormwater Coalition meetings.

Scholarly Work

C. Dehner. Private Sector Involvement in Public Water Distribution: Assessing Local Water Systems in Massachusetts. Journal of the New England Water Works Association. March 2011.
Forthcoming, C. Dehner and P. Mathisen. Development of Stormwater Coalitions to Tackle Stormwater Runoff
Professional Highlights & Honors
New England Water Works Association (NEWWA)
National Science Foundation
Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being

SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

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Good Health & Well-Being Goal

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 4: Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

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Quality Education Goal

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

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Clean Water and Sanitation Goal

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

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Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Goal

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

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Responsible Consumption and Production Goal

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 13: Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

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Climate Action Goal

SDG 15: Life on Land

SDG 15: Life on Land - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

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Life on Land Goal