Jessica Forrester

Jessica Forrester earned her Ph.D. in STEM Education from the University of Minnesota, where she combined her interest in STEM engagement with justice-oriented practices in education. During this time, Jessica found her love for action-oriented methodology, community engagement, and equitable advancements in mathematics education.

Before joining the UVA Innovation Hub team, Jessica Forrester was a postdoctoral researcher with Youth-Nex’s youth participatory action research (YPAR) initiative, Youth Action Lab. Jessica’s work with Youth Action Lab focused on three key areas: 1) supporting community partnerships, including school-based YPAR classes and out-of-school programs; 2) developing a line of research on the processes and outcomes for all participating YPAR stakeholders, and 3) redefining research dissemination by amplifying youth and community voices in scholarly publications.

Jessica’s work highlights the dynamic interplay of content, context, reciprocity, and cross-cultural awareness in fostering effective university-community partnerships. Through these efforts, she strives to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world applications, ensuring her scholarship creates meaningful, lasting community impact.

Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2022
M.S., Virginia Commonwealth University, 2016
B.S., University of Virginia, 2013