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Biography:

Dr. Wanda Leal is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology and joined the faculty in 2022. She earned her Ph.D. in Criminology from Florida State University in 2017. Her research interests include substance use and abuse, drug policy, sports and crime, and developmental/life-course criminology. Some of her recent work has also explored the impact of COVID-19 on crime and the criminal justice system. Her research has been published in journals such as Journal of Criminal Justice, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Crime & Delinquency, Deviant Behavior, Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology, Drug & Alcohol Dependence, Preventive Medicine, Addictive Behaviors, as well as other journals. Dr. Leal’s research has also been featured in multiple media outlets including, Huffington Post, New York Times, CNN, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Reuters, and New York Post.