Zari McCullers-Barr

Project focus: The Fellow will support the work of the Presidents and Chancellors Council on Public Impact Research to implement a strategic blueprint for more responsive and resilient research institutions, while accelerating game-changing collaborations between higher education leaders and funders at the intersection of higher education, civil society, and the societal benefits of science.

Zari McCullers-Barr is a biomedical scientist by training. She earned her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from Penn State College of Medicine, where her neuroscience research examined the biological and behavioral mechanisms underlying binge behaviors. Alongside her scientific training, Zari consistently pursued opportunities to translate research beyond academia and expand science in society. Her experiences span civic science, including fellowships and training programs with the National Science Foundation, Center for Environmental Health, Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, Weaving Voices for Health and Justice, and numerous scientific member societies. At Penn State, Zari founded several initiatives focused on building community, broadening participation, and creating pathways for students to engage in leadership and science policy. Zari currently volunteers as Conferences Coordinator at Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL) and as an intern for the Annual Meeting Steering Committee of the Endocrine Society. Prior to earning her Ph.D., Zari was an NIH-PREP Scholar at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and earned her B.S. in biology at Towson University.

In her additional time, Zari plays numerous musical instruments, including the harp and the marimba.