GenCen Staff

Soma Chaudhuri
Co-Director of Global Research, Outreach, & Engagement (she/her)

chaudh30(at)msu.edu

Dr. Soma Chaudhuri is responsible for promoting gender-related research and outreach across the university and facilitating interdisciplinary global research and engagement among faculty teams. She also develops and supports strategic domestic and international partnership initiatives in the areas of gender and women’s studies and foster partnerships with similarly situated programs around the globe.

Dr. Chaudhuri is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology. Her work spans areas on gender, development, violence, witch hunts, and social movements, with specific connections to violence against women. Her research has been funded by several grants including those from the National Science Foundation and Social Science Research Council. She earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Vanderbilt University.

Aminda Smith
Co-Director of Academic Programs, Outreach, & Engagement (she/her) 

amsmith(at)msu.edu

In her role, Aminda Smith is responsible for developing and managing GenCen’s academic programs, leading international academic initiatives, and facilitating outreach and engagement across campus, and the larger local and global communities. She supports the creation of opportunities for students to receive education in women’s and gender studies, in classrooms and through immersive experiences such as internships and education abroad programs.

Aminda Smith is Associate Professor in the Department of History. Her research considers the history of radicalism and revolution, with a particular focus on the gendered social and cultural histories of Chinese Communism. Her work has ben supported by several grants, including from the Fulbright program and the American Council of Learned Societies. Aminda Smith earned her PhD from Princeton University.

Pat Arnold
Assistant Director of Academic Programs, Undergrad/Grad Advisor
(they/them)

arnoldp5(at)msu.edu

Pat Arnold (they/them) is finishing their 5th year with GenCen and the Women’s and Gender Studies program, and is now entering the role of Assistant Director of Academic Programs. In this role, they will continue to advise all undergraduate and graduate students in GenCen programs, teach and design core WGS courses, and support interns, but will also be helping lead the creation of new educational initiatives that promote global gender and LGBTQIA2S+ diversity and representation open to all students at MSU. From seeing the impact that GenCen’s experiential learning programs have had on previous generations of students – from our sexual politics in Amsterdam and gender and feminism in London summer programs, to the women and development in Malawi internship – Pat is excited to find new pathways for students to gain that global experience and translate it to their research, career goals, and advocacy efforts while at MSU and beyond. Entering this role also opens greater possibilities for collaboration across GenCen’s community of affiliates as well as with the Center’s new research team and their programs in the Global South. 

Alaina Bur
Assistant Director of Global Research (she/her)

buralain(at)msu.edu

Dr. Alaina Bur first became involved in GenCen’s community as a doctoral student pursuing a specialization in Gender, Justice, and Environmental Change (GJEC). Joining the team with a PhD in sociology, she brings over ten years of experience working on diverse research teams in Africa to evaluate the social impacts of environmental policies. Her own research investigates how international organizations’ goal of “empowerment” has reshaped women and marginalized communities’ role in managing local forest and water resources in Kenya. Dr. Bur will join GenCen’s co-director, Dr. Soma Chaudhuri, in the mission to expand the center’s capacity to provide research and outreach training as well as grant support for affiliates and global partner organizations. Dr. Bur will help lead the center in its goal to build a hub for research, outreach, and training on gender and sexuality with GenCen affiliates and partner organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Kara MacKenzie
Office Coordinator, Communications Manager (she/her)

macken96(at)msu.edu

In her role, Kara MacKenzie is responsible for creation and distribution of promotional materials, maintaining GenCen's online presence, event planning and facilitation, and other communications or day-to-day office tasks for the GenCen. She graduated from MSU with her BA in Professional and Public Writing and Women's and Gender Studies in 2023. She served as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant and Communications Intern at GenCen as a student and is grateful to be a permanent member of the GenCen team. In her free time, Kara enjoys reading, spending time in the sun, and listening to K-pop.

GenCen Interns

Ayah Imran
Academic Programs Intern (she/her)

Ayah is a senior at MSU studying Journalism with a concentration in International Reporting. 

She's pursuing two minors, Women's and Gender Studies and Leadership in Integrated Learning as a member of the Bailey Scholar Program on campus. 

Her main interests are foreign policy and gender-based violence. She is a reporting intern at East Lansing Info, where she primarily covers the library beat, and has a great passion for investigative journalism. 

Outside of work, Ayah values spending time with loved ones and finding ways to decompress, such as hot yoga!

Hazel Ericson
Communications Intern (they/them)

Hazel is a senior at MSU pursuing their bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies of Social Science with minors in Human Behavior and Social Services, Women's and Gender Studies, and LGBTQ+ and Sexuality Studies.

Hazel is so excited to be joining the GenCen this year as Communications Intern. They can't wait to engage more with the MSU community by sharing the many resources and opportunities that GenCen offers. 

They look forward to an amazing final school year at MSU and at the GenCen. Outside of work, Hazel loves to read, listen to music, and stay updated on the latest TikTok trend.