W. Jasmine Chen, Ph.D.
Research Associate

jasminechen@ sfasu.edu 936.468.2196 (CST) Education: BS in English Literature, Providence University, Taiwan; MS in Recreation and Park Management, Ph.D. in Forest Resource Science, West Virginia University

Areas of Specialization:
Resource Interpretation,
Research Methods and Design,
Sustainability and Resource Management,
Meanings of Place

Bio:
Jasmine Chen came on board to SFA in January, 2004 as a research associate with the MSRI program. Born and raised in the island country of Taiwan, she had lived in the "Wild and Wonderful" West Virginia for 7 years where she received her Ph.D. in Forest Resource Science at West Virginia University. Jasmine currently serves as a curriculum coordinator/certifier with the NPS's Interpretive Development Program (IDP). She is also a training consultant with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on visitor experience and resource protection issues at coastal and marine protected sites. An active member of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI), she is a certified interpretive trainer (CIT) and a certification reviewer. Her research interests include the philosophy of interpretation, the cause and effect of resource stewardship, the opportunities for emotional and spiritual connections to resource meanings for the general populations, and the challenges of communicating the concept of resource preservation for the "hard-to-reach" population such as whose of low income, inner city teenagers, and ethnic minority groups.

Dr. Chen and her two cats, Da-Shown (Hero) and Chi-Chi (Curiosity) enjoy the warm and lush green environment of east Texas. A fan of National Park sites, Jasmine tries to visit them whenever possible. One of the latest parks that she visited was Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana where her friend Peggy Scherbaum is the Chief of Interpretation. Peggy is currently a masters student of the MSRI program.

Recent Publications:
Chen, W. J. (2003). The craft and concepts of Interpretation: A look at how National Park Service interpreters reveal and facilitate opportunities for connections. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, West Virginia University, Morgantown. [On-line]. Available: https://etd.wvu.edu/etd/etdDocumentData.jsp?jsp_etdId=2963