Education: PhD Ed.M. (candidate) from University in Washington; M.A. from Harvard Graduate School of Education (focus: Human Development and Psychology); B.A. from University of California San Diego.
Current position: PhD Candidate
Supported by: JPB Fellow Greg Bratman
Sara Perrins, PhD student working with Fellow Greg Bratman, was conducting the in situ nature vs. urban vs. lab experiment, looking at ACE scores as a moderator of acute stress reduction from nature experience. The outcomes were measured via self-report and psychophysiology assessments (now on hold due to COVID-19). Sara also collected terpenes pilot data in Pack Forest, as part of the project “Mental health benefits of forest contact: the olfactory pathway”, funded by JPB. JPB funding was used to purchase psychophysiology measurement equipment and will be used for hair cortisol-processing for the experiment, and fund support from collaborators at the UW School of Public Health.
Sara is interested in the relationships between different environments and mental health, with a specific interest in the associations between natural environments and depression, anxiety, and stress-related outcomes. She uses a range of quantitative methods, including psychophysiology, self-report surveys, ecological momentary assessment and biomarkers. Sara holds a master’s degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education (focus: Human Development and Psychology), and a bachelor’s degree from University of California San Diego.