# People ## expand\_more Since the Pluralism Project began in 1991, its work has been shaped by the staff, student researchers, and affiliates who spent countless hours visiting religious houses of worship, conducting interviews, and capturing images. Below you can find the current staff and student researchers, but you can also learn more about our past contributors—including former [affiliates](https://hwpi.harvard.edu/pluralismarchive/people/people-categories/affiliate) and [student researchers](https://hwpi.harvard.edu/pluralismarchive/people/people-categories/student-affiliate)—on our [archive site](https://hwpi.harvard.edu/pluralismarchive). [### Diana L. Eck ](/people/diana-l-eck)Director, The Pluralism Project at Harvard University Professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies, and Member of the Faculty of Divinity, Harvard University Fredric Wertham Professor of Law and Psychiatry in Society in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Diana L. Eck is founder and director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. She serves on the Committee on the Study of Religion in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. She is also a member of the Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies, a member... ![Diana Eck headshot](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/pluralism/files/diana_headshot.jpg?itok=0ao_X7Yg) [### Elinor J. Pierce ](/people/elinor-j-pierce)Research Director Elinor (Ellie) Pierce is the Research Director at the Pluralism Project. From her first involvement as a student researcher in San Francisco, Ellie has been actively engaged in field research and multimedia content development for the Pluralism Project... ![ejp24.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/pluralism/files/ejp22headshot.jpg?itok=Uh2O3w51) [### Ryan R. Overbey ](/people/ryan-r-overbey)Webmaster Ryan received his Ph.D. in the Study of Religion from Harvard University in 2010 and his A.B. in Classics & Sanskrit and Religious Studies from Brown University in 2001. He has served as a web assistant and web developer for the Pluralism Project since... ![Staff photo](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/pluralism/files/ryan_headshot_01_1.jpeg?itok=djrBCfXW) [### Ellie Ashby ](/people/ellie-ashby)Research Associate Ellie Ashby is a Master of Theological Studies candidate at Harvard Divinity School, where she focuses in Christianity and American religious history. She has a particular interest in the relationship between theology as belief and theology as practice... ![Ashby Photo](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-05/Ashby.Headshot.jpeg?h=59f2c9d8&itok=Eh6SrsPT) [### Iris Cheng ](/people/iris-cheng)Research Associate Iris is a junior at Harvard College concentrating in Social Studies and Economics. Within Social Studies, her primary research interests lie at the intersection of religion, politics, and education – particularly in relation to secularism and civil... ![Iris Cheng](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-02/Cheng%2C%20Iris%202.jpg?h=c5c61e00&itok=iw3g98wx) ## Recent Staff ### Nevia Selmon 2024-2025 Research Associate ![Nevia Selmon Portrait](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/pluralism/files/img_6697.jpeg?itok=s29lpHJm) ### Tahamina Prity 2025 Research Associate ![Headshot of woman in blue hijab](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-08/Profile.jpg?itok=9R554JPn) ### Rachael Schremp 2025 Research Associate ![headshot of woman standing in front of wall](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2025-07/L1010464.jpg?itok=Bc5T3BEE) ### Rudy Lu 2023-2025 Research Associate ![Rudy Lu's Profile Picture](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/pluralism/files/img_5733_0_0_1.jpeg?itok=SEbZSuXk) ### Karina Yum 2023-2025 Research Associate ![img_48511.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/pluralism/files/img_48511.jpg?itok=gyB6zIKS) ### Nicole Collins 2023-2024 Research Associate ![Nicole Collins smiles at the camera](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/pluralism/files/nicoleprofilepic-2-min.jpg?itok=WnxmifHt) ### Samirah Jaigirdar 2022-2024 Research Associate ![Samirah Jaigirdar](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-02/SJaigirdar.jpeg?itok=3mElN8s7) [### Archive Site: 1991-2022 Researchers ](https://pluralismarchive.hsites.harvard.edu/former-student-affiliates)Prior Research Associates ![student researchers](/sites/g/files/omnuum10836/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2026-02/student%20researchers.jpg?itok=zT9unH0-)