Assistant Professor
Human Development and Family Studies
University of North Carolina Greensboro

Contact Information:
Email: jrsmithl@uncg.edu

Research Interests & Goals:
Jocelyn R. Smith Lee, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Dr. Smith Lee’s community engaged program of research investigates trauma, violence, loss, and healing among Black boys, men, and their families. Rooted in Baltimore, MD and growing in Greensboro, NC, this research examines racial disparities in violent injury and works to understand how losing loved ones to homicide shapes the health, well-being, development, and family relationships of Black males and their social networks. At UNCG, she is the founder and director of the Centering Black Voices research lab whose vision is to affirm the humanity of Black boys, men, and families by creating supportive spaces were Black communities can leverage research to transform pain into collective growth, healing, justice, and advancement. Dr. Smith Lee completed her undergraduate studies at Hampton University, her graduate work in Marriage and Family Therapy and Family Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Dr. Smith Lee’s interdisciplinary research has been published in top-tier journals and presented at national conferences and invited talks. Having personally lost loved ones to community violence, Jocelyn is deeply committed to this healing work.