Mary Emery
Professor Emerita of Sociology
Biography
Dr. Mary Emery has a deep and abiding interest in community and economic development research and practice including using the Community Capitals Framework in evaluation, research on community change and program planning. Recent research has focused on the interaction of social capital and reflexivity in creating a spiraling-up effect in higher education. A co-author of the Field Guide for Community Coaching and the Field Guide to Ripple Effect Mapping, she regularly provides workshops and training on community development processes and approaches. In addition to teaching in the Great Plains IDEA transdisciplinary multiuniversity distance degree in community development, she provides support for the college research initiative. She has recently served or is serving as an evaluator on a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education regional project, an National Science Foundation-funded PLAN project, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project to support tribal college faculty, and both a Health Resources and Services Administration-funded planning grant to increase access to opioid-disorder treatment and the subsequent implementation grant.
Education
- Ph.D. | Rutgers University
Academic and Professional Experience
Academic Interests
Academic Interests
- Community and rural development
- Community wellness
- Applied sociology
- Leadership development
- Entrepreneurship
- Distance education
- Leadership development
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Community coaching
- Evaluation
- Ripple effect mapping
Academic Responsibilities
- Qualitative methods
- Evaluation
- Leadership development
- Community development
- Rural sociology/rural development
- Nonprofit management
Committees and Professional Memberships
- Community Development Society (past president)
- Rural Sociology Society
- American Evaluation Association
- Midwest Sociology Society
- Great Plains Sociology Association
- Great Plains IDEA
Research and Scholarly Work
à£à£Ö±²¥Ðãs and Honors
- Chazdon, Higgins, Hansen, Emery, Joint Community Development Society and National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals National award for innovation, 2017
- Excellence in Service à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, Great Plains Sociological Association, 2016
- Invited participant and moderator, National Institute of Food and Agriculture Big Data Summit, Chicago, 2016
- Invited participant to the September 23rd Whitehouse Workshop on Promise Zones, WDC: September 2016
- Chazdon, Higgins, Hansen, Emery, National Training award, National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals, 2016
- With Chazdon, Higgins and Hansen; Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Association: Making and Impact à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, 2014
- Community Development Society: Duane L. Gibson Distinguished Service à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, 2012
- Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Association: Great Ideas à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, 2010
- Innovative Program award given to the Great Plains IDEA Online Master’s Degree in Community Development Team, 2008
- Iowa Distance Learning Association, Innovators à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, given to the Great Plains IDEA Online Master’s Degree in Community Development Team, 2008
- Community Development Society, Community Development Achievement à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, 1999
- President’s à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã, Lewiston-Clarkston YWCA, 1995
Grants
Health Resources and Services Administration opioid prevention, treatment and recovery grant (evaluator), Health Resources and Services Administration psycho stimulants prevention, treatment and recovery grant (evaluator). National Science Foundation testing a responsible innovation approach for integrating precision agriculture technologies with future farm workers and work (evaluator). U.S.-Russia University Virtual Partner Program (PI). National Science Foundation plan (evaluator).
