Anna Dulencin

B.A. degree in Genetics and German, Rutgers University; Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Anna Dulencin is responsible for developing the Institute’s Science and Politics Program which includes the Eagleton Science and Politics Workshop and the Institute’s latest project, the Eagleton Science and Politics Fellowship in New Jersey government. The Program explores how science, technology, and politics intersect; the political systems that connect them; and how deeper understanding and clearer communication within and across these disciplines can benefit policymakers, scientists, and the larger public. Dulencin is committed to increasing public investment in science through informing policymakers and engaging scientists in politics. She draws from her interest in neuroscience-based communication methodologies as a powerful tool to translate complex scientific concepts, generate interest, and inspire action.

Before joining Eagleton, Dulencin served as a biomedical research consultant at the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence Coordinating Center, then based at Montclair State University and supported by the Governor’s Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism. There, Dulencin provided biomedical research support to the Center for over 20 independent grants as a science communication liaison between various stakeholders, including researchers, educators, service providers, advocacy groups, family members, and government officials. As a neuroscientist, Dulencin has broad experience in medical and bioengineering research, including stem cells reprogramming, pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, and genetics of mental health disorders, specifically Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, which were the focus of her doctoral research. As a graduate student, she participated in a number of Eagleton’s Science and Politics Workshops, the very same workshops she now coordinates.

Additionally, Dulencin dedicates her time to the Autism community though international development programs and sensory architecture projects.