Amanda Finn

Project focus: The Fellow will construct an evaluative framework for socially impactful science communication, including everything from the clear communication of scientific fact to the negotiation of interpersonal and institutional trust relationships.

Amanda Finn has a strong background in health science and community service starting from community college through her doctoral studies. As the daughter of a Honduran immigrant and Los Angeles social worker, she proudly carries their legacy of work centering the most vulnerable in society. She completed her B.S. in kinesiology at California State University, Long Beach, and her M..S and Ph.D. in nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Amanda’s graduate-level work focused on understanding factors influencing insulin resistance, namely those related to obesity, in humans. She also led local and national science advocacy initiatives, including through Research! America Civic Engagement Microgrants in 2026 and 2026, and served as an organizing member of the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy. Amanda has also served as a volunteer in several academic and community organizations, including the American Society for Nutrition, the Magic City Health Community Advisory Board (Birmingham, Ala.), the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation’s inSTEM mentoring network, and local running and Latin dance groups in Birmingham.