Emily Meland is a research assistant in the EASEL Lab, where she works across a range of projects, with a particular focus on how culture and context impact the way SEL is conceptualized, defined, and implemented in diverse settings. Emily is also a doctoral student in the Human Development, Learning, and Teaching program at Harvard, where her research centers on culturally sustaining social and emotional learning, with a focus on developmental relationships and supporting culturally responsive interactions between educators and students. Previously, Emily was a second grade teacher in Lawrence Public Schools in Lawrence, MA. Prior to teaching, Emily worked in the field of global health and health policy, where she coordinated programming and policy work for the Harvard Global Health Institute and taught global health courses at Harvard College. She holds an Ed.M. in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and an A.B. in Social Anthropology from Harvard College.