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2021 News

Kirabo Jackson

Making an Impact: Faculty Research Named Year's Best

December 22, 2021

Two papers coauthored by researchers at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) were named to the Edutopia’s “10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2021.”

Megan Imundo and David Rapp

The Dangers of 'Balanced' Climate Change Reporting

December 16, 2021

Journalists often strive to present at least two sides to an issue. But the tendency to appear balanced can backfire when it lends credibility to an idea that most experts consider unmerited, according to new Northwestern University research assessing climate change coverage.

Claudia Goldin and David Figlio

Claudia Goldin to Speak on Gender Equality at Home, Work

December 9, 2021

Renowned economist and historian Claudia Goldin will discuss her new book Career and Family: Women’s Century-Long Journey toward Equity with Dean David Figlio in the next virtual Family Action Network event at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14.

Shirin Vossoughi

Vossoughi Promoted to Associate Professor

December 7, 2021

Northwestern University’s Shirin Vossoughi, a learning scientist best known for her work studying culture, equity, social relations, and learning in a range of educational environments, has been promoted to associate professor of learning sciences at the School of Education and Social Policy.

Eva Lam

Lam Honored for Immigration Research

December 1, 2021

School of Education and Social Policy Professor Eva Lam and her coauthors received the Alan C. Purves Award from the National Council of Teachers of English for their research looking at what happens when young people tell their own immigration stories through documentary filmmaking.

Sally Nuamah

Here’s How Black Communities Responded to School Closures

November 17, 2021

Black Chicagoans who lived near a school that was shuttered during the largest wave of public-school closures in US history became more politically active and held their local officials accountable, according to a new Northwestern University study coauthored by professor Sally Nuamah.

Megan Bang, Carrie Tzou, Shirin Vossoughi, Sepehr Vakil

Researchers Tackle Inequity in STEM Education

November 16, 2021

Four School of Education and Social Policy researchers and alums will help address systemic inequities in PreK-12 STEM education as part of an esteemed National Academies’ committee.

Addie Shrodes

Shrodes Wins AAUW Dissertation Fellowship

November 12, 2021

Graduate student Addie Shrodes has received a highly competitive American Dissertation Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) to support her work looking at how trans and queer teens learn critical digital literacies through everyday activities on social media.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: November 2021

November 12, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Sally Nuamah

Why We All Pay When Black Girls are Punished

November 10, 2021

Northwestern University’s Sally Nuamah received the 2021 American Political Science Association, Best Paper on Intersectionality Award, for her work looking at how race and gender stereotypes affect public support for punishing Black girls.

Terri Sabol

Researchers Find Important Nuances in Race, Preschool Discipline

October 27, 2021

Teachers tend to complain more about Black preschool students and identify their behavior as problematic compared to white students — even though researchers found no differences when the children were observed in a laboratory setting, according to a new Northwestern University study.

Alex Sims and David Figlio

Alexandra Sims: 'Follow What Energizes You'

October 26, 2021

School of Education and Social Policy alumna Alexandra Sims (BS10), recognized as one of Chicago’s most influential Black leaders, recently urged SESP students to not think of a career as one dot to one dot to one dot, but instead to think of it almost like a funnel.

Soteria Reid

Alumna Wins Campus Change Award

October 22, 2021

Alumna Soteria Reid (BS21) was one of four Northwestern University winners of the Jazzy Johnson Waw-jashk Student Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to sustainable campus change and growth.

Coleen Coleman

Coleen Coleman Receives Jean Shedd Award

October 21, 2021

Coleen Coleman (BS88, MS91), senior associate dean at the School of Education and Social Policy, received the 2021 Jean E. Shedd University Citizenship Award winner for her selfless leadership, her empathy and advocacy, and her capacity for solving problems under pressure.

student and teacher working on laptop

Seeking Early Career Visiting Scholars for K-12 Education Research

October 18, 2021

The E4 Early Career Visiting Fellows Program is currently seeking four up and coming scholars to conduct K-12 education research at Northwestern University's Center for Education Efficacy, Excellence, and Equity (E4) during the 2022-23 academic year.

Emma Adam

Emma Adam Named Associate Vice President for Research

October 15, 2021

Emma Adam, the Edwina S. Tarry Professor of Human Development and Social Policy in the School of Education and Social Policy has been named associate vice president for research at Northwestern University.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: October 2021

October 12, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Saiying Steenbergen-Hu, Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, and Eric Calvert

CTD Researchers Win Book, Paper of the Year Awards

October 8, 2021

Researchers at Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development have won both Book of the Year and Paper of the Year awards from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).

Carol Lee

Carol Lee Wins Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education

September 30, 2021

Northwestern University professor emeritus Carol Lee, president-elect of the National Academy of Education, has received a prestigious Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education for her outstanding contributions to learning sciences research.

Hannes Schwandt

Addressing America's Death Problem

September 28, 2021

Americans have shorter lives than similarly situated Europeans, even in the richest areas, according to new Northwestern University research coauthored by School of Education and Social Policy professor Hannes Schwandt. At the same time, longevity of Black Americans has been catching up, and the life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans fell by 48.9%.

Alexandra Sims

Alumna Alexandra Sims to Deliver Loeschner Lecture

September 24, 2021

Alumna Alexandra Sims (BS10) will speak about her experiences in Chicago politics and public affairs as part of Northwestern University’s Nancy and Ray Loeschner Leadership Series.

Connor Bain working with other students

Meet SESP's Newest PhD's

September 24, 2021

Sixteen Northwestern University graduate students earned doctoral degrees in three of the School of Education and Social Policy's pioneering programs: Learning Sciences, Human Development and Social Policy, and Computer Science and Learning Sciences (CS + LS), a joint degree with the McCormick School of Engineering.

Connor Bain

Connor Bain Earns First Joint CS + LS Doctoral Degree

September 21, 2021

Connor Bain (PhD21), whose love for teaching may be rivaled only by his passion for computers, has earned the nation’s first joint doctoral degree in computer science and learning sciences (CS + LS) at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy.

Terri Sabol smiling at children

New Research: Illinois Fared Well Amid COVID-19 Chaos

September 19, 2021

Illinois is a national model for how to equitably allocate resources during trying times, according to a new report by Northwestern University researchers assessing the response to COVID-19 for child care programs in Illinois.

Carol Lee

Carol Lee Honored for Transformative Teaching, Research

September 15, 2021

Northwestern University’s Carol Lee, President Elect of the National Academy of Education, has received the 2021 National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) James R. Squire Award for her “transforming influence” and lasting contributions to education.

student and teacher working on a laptop

SESP Launches New Research-Practice Partnership with $5.8-Million Grant

September 14, 2021

Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) received a $5.8-million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support an innovative partnership that links University researchers and Curriculum Associates, a leading provider of digital assessment and instructional materials, with several school districts.

Jen Richards and Miriam Sherin

Learning from Classroom Video: How Can it Help Teachers?

September 13, 2021

Northwestern University professors Jen Richards and Miriam Sherin are co-principal investigators on a $700,000 collaborative National Science Foundation Grant that explores how teachers learn from watching video clips of their classroom.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: September 2021

September 6, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Carol Lee and Megan Bang

Two Faculty Members Honored for Education Research

August 31, 2021

Professors Carol D. Lee and Megan Bang were honored by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) for their cutting-edge education research, scholarship, and service to the field.

students brainstorming

The Process is Messy. And That's OK.

August 31, 2021

Jada Levi’s senior honors math class at Evanston Township High School (ETHS) was one of the most unusual courses she had ever taken. And not just because the assignments seemed unrelated to algebra, AP calculus or statistics.

Megan Bang

Bang Receives NSF Grant to Support Indigenous Science Education

August 30, 2021

Northwestern University’s Megan Bang has received a five-year, $3 million collaborative grant from the National Science Foundation to create a model of Indigenous science education that is focused on 21st century challenges around socio-environmental issues, like climate change, adaptation, and sustainable decision-making.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: August 2021

August 4, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Caste: The Origins of our Discontents cover

Our Next Book is Caste. Register Now.

July 29, 2021

Registration is open for the next School of Education and Social Policy (SESP) Equity Book Club discussion, which features Isabel Wilkerson’s latest book Caste: The Origins of our Discontents.

student adding PostIt to board

ELOC Helps Senior Executives Stay Ahead of the Curve

July 23, 2021

Design thinking tools are particularly well suited for senior leaders who want to tackle today’s rapidly fluctuating and often ambiguous challenges, experts said during the webinar, Redesigning Organizational Structures and Practices.

Brian Reiser

Brian Reiser named AERA Fellow

July 20, 2021

Northwestern University’s Brian Reiser, professor of learning sciences at the School of Education and Social Policy, has been named a 2021 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Fellow for distinguished and sustained work in science education.

Veronica Burton

SESP Leads the Pack in Big Ten Distinguished Scholars

July 10, 2021

More than a quarter of Northwestern University’s 2020-21 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars are enrolled in the School of Education and Social Policy, one of the nation's top schools of learning, leadership, and policy.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: July 2021

July 6, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

two students working together

FUSE Studios Expands to Southern California

June 29, 2021

Students in underserved elementary schools in Southern California will have access to Northwestern University’s FUSE Studios program this fall, thanks in part to a $150,000 grant from the Mazda Foundation.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP Faculty 2020-21 Awards Roundup

June 29, 2021

Known for innovative interdisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach, School of Education and Social Policy faculty members are routinely honored for producing pathbreaking work on many of the world’s most challenging questions.

Eleanor O'Rourke and Marcelo Worsley

These Two Rising Stars Won Early CAREER Awards

June 22, 2021

Northwestern University’s Eleanor O’Rourke and Marcelo Worsley received the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for projects designed to strengthen and diversify the field of computer science.

Summer Fest logo

Northwestern Helps Support Evanston’s Summer Fest

June 18, 2021

Registration is now open for Evanston’s Summer Fest at Butler Park, a seven-week STEAM program that lets middle school-aged children explore everything from roller skating and drone racing to woodworking, creating beats, and podcasting.

Michael Spikes

Spikes Discusses Illinois New Media Literacy Bill

June 15, 2021

Northwestern University learning sciences doctoral candidate Michael A. Spikes stressed the importance of teaching media literacy in light of a new bill that would require Illinois high schools to incorporate media literacy education into existing curricula that targets understanding and evaluating news and social media.

Lesley Meza

SESP Convocation 2021: Never Stop Learning

June 14, 2021

Civil rights activist Tarana Burke, who champions the importance of connection and the “far-reaching power of empathy,” urged the Class of 2021 to stay open to change, join a cause they believe in, and remain committed to learning during the School of Education and Social Policy’s annual convocation ceremony celebration at Northwestern University’s Ryan Fieldhouse.

Gavi Welbel, Julia Borland, Charlotte Zehnder and Remi Welbel

2021 Undergraduate Honors and Awards

June 14, 2021

Julia Borland, a third year studying social policy and economics, received a $10,000 award from Projects for Peace to help incorporate environmental and food justice issues into a sustainable farming program. She was one of dozens of outstanding SESP students to win an award this year.

Stephanie Demos holding diploma

Graduate Students Honored with Awards, Fellowships

June 14, 2021

Stephanie Demos, who received her masters of science in higher education administration and policy, was named the graduate winner of the SESP Alumni Leadership Award for bringing the community together during the pandemic.

Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy

Brayboy Challenges SESP to Reimagine Education for Indigenous Students

June 9, 2021

Scholars have an important opportunity­ and responsibility to help transform schools into a system that supports Indigenous students, Arizona State University (ASU) professor Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy (Lumbee) said during the latest installment of the School of Education and Social Policy Equity Book Club.

honors group at dinner

Honors Students Present Senior Thesis Projects

June 7, 2021

Twelve School of Education and Social Policy honors students were recognized for rigorous and thoughtful scholarship by Dean David Figlio and faculty members during an online ceremony and poster presentation session.

Terri Sabol and Andrea Busby

New Research: Why We Should Listen to Preschoolers

May 28, 2021

Early childhood policies could be vastly improved by listening to the unexpectedly wise voices of those who stand to benefit: children as young as four years old, according to new Northwestern University research published in Translational Issues in Psychological Science.

Sheridan Fuller

Sheridan Fuller Named Presidential Fellow

May 28, 2021

Sheridan Fuller, a graduate student in the Human Development and Social Policy program at the School of Education and Social Policy, has received the prestigious Presidential Fellowship at Northwestern University for his work investigating the benefits and pitfalls of the social safety net, which is designed to protect Americans from poverty and hardship.

Summer Learning and Beyond: Opportunities for Creating Equity

Leading Education Scholars: There's No Going Back

May 18, 2021

Schools should not return to the old “normal,” despite concerns about potential learning loss after a year of disruption, leading education scholars argue in a new report by the Spencer Foundation and the Learning Policy Institute.

Lois Trautvetter

TEACHx 2021 Highlights Remote Teaching Innovations

May 9, 2021

School of Education and Social Policy students, faculty, and staff will highlight innovative experiments in remote teaching and learning at Northwestern University’s annual TEACHx symposium.

Cynthia Coburn

Coburn Honored With Excellence in Teaching Award

May 6, 2021

Cynthia Coburn has been awarded the Charles Deering McCormick University Professorship of Teaching Excellence Award for her innovative classroom instruction, the compassion and care she has shown undergraduates, and her pioneering contributions to the field of education research.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: May 2021

May 3, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy

Bryan Brayboy to Speak on Schools, Prison, and Indigenous Youth

May 3, 2021

Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy (Lumbee), who studies the impact of the school-to-prison pipeline on Indigenous youth, will deliver a distinguished lecture at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 25 as part of SESP's ongoing conversation regarding justice and equity.

Yang Qu

Qu Receives Early Career Award

April 30, 2021

Northwestern University developmental psychologist Yang Qu has received an Early Career Award from the Society for Research in Child Development’s Asian Caucus for his work studying the experiences of teenagers in the United States and China.

Kendall Gail, Rohan Gupta, Madeline Lane, Madeleine Ward, and Sophie Boorstein

Undergrads Pursue Novel Research Projects

April 29, 2021

Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy students received 2020-21 Academic Year Undergraduate Research Grants (AYURG) to study everything from athletic shoe culture to the impacts of COVID19- and the Black Lives Matter movement on Black-owned businesses.

Tabitha Bonilla

Bonilla Develops New Class With Equity and Diversity Grant

April 29, 2021

Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy professor Tabitha Bonilla has developed a new undergraduate class that explores how looking at identities as 'intersectional' shifts our understanding of policy.

students from overhead

Presence of Immigrant Students Boosts Test Scores for All

April 25, 2021

U.S.-born students with high exposure to immigrants in their schools scored better on math and reading tests than similar students with low exposure to immigrants, according to a working paper co-authored by School of Education and Social Policy Dean David Figlio and published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Destin Lab students

A Sneak Peek Inside the Destin Lab

April 21, 2021

Northwestern University social psychologist Mesmin Destin, a recent Guggenheim Fellow selection, explores how the presumed “disadvantages” related to students’ backgrounds can carry unrecognized strengths, Kirsten Weir wrote in “Finding Strength in Hardship.”

Camryn Smith

SESP Entrepreneur Named Little Joe Ventures Fellow

April 16, 2021

Northwestern University’s Camryn Smith was named one of five new Little Joe Ventures Fellows at The Garage, an award designed to support promisingˌentrepreneurial-minded undergraduates.

young student holding chalk and thinking

Evanston Debuts Teacher Residency Program

April 15, 2021

In partnership with Northwestern University and National Louis University, Evanston/Skokie School District 65 has formed a teacher residency program to address achievement gaps, reduce local teacher shortages, and increase the diversity of the local teaching workforce.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: April 2021

April 3, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Carol Lee

Carol Lee Leads SESP Scholars at AERA

March 22, 2021

More than two dozen School of Education and Social Policy faculty members, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars will present their latest research on a wide range of education issues at the 2021 virtual American Education Research Association annual meeting held April 8 through 12.

Brian Reiser, Megan Bang, and Jonathan Guryan

Three Faculty Members Join National Academy of Education

March 17, 2021

Northwestern University Professors Megan Bang, Jonathan Guryan, and Brian Reiser were among 22 exceptional scholars elected to the prestigious National Academy of Education (NAEd) for their stellar contributions to education scholarship and research.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: March 2021

March 1, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Addie Shrodes

Grad Student Develops New Courses for Gender and Sexuality Studies

February 25, 2021

School of Education and Social Policy graduate student Addie Shrodes will be teaching two courses she designed for Northwestern University’s Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSS) program, Everyday Resistance and Reimagination and Queer and Trans Technology, Play, and Protest.

David Figlio, Larry Hedges, Kirabo Jackson, James Spillane, Diane Schanzenbach, Carol Lee

Six SESP Scholars Ranked Among Nation’s Most Influential

February 22, 2021

Six Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy faculty members were named to Education Week’s annual list of 200 influential academics in education policy, highlighting the impact of the School’s research on real-world issues.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: February 2021

February 12, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.

Bettina Love

Bettina Love: 'Eliminate Oppression From the Root'

January 29, 2021

Bettina L. Love, author and the Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia, recently spoke to nearly 400 members of the SESP community during a wide-ranging conversation focused on race, racism, justice, joy, love, and equity.

Amy Pratt, Mesmin Destin and Simone Ispa-Landa

When Education Research Benefits Both Sides

January 29, 2021

Research partnerships between Universities and school districts need to be mutually beneficial, long term, and thoughtfully structured, Northwestern University researchers said during the annual meeting of the Mindset Scholars Network.

COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Handbook cover and David Rapp

Experts: New Resource Can Fight COVID-19 Misinformation

January 28, 2021

Professor David Rapp was among more than two dozen expert scientists from around the world who contributed to a new user-friendly handbook designed to help fight the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus vaccines.

Kara Godwin

We Need International Education More Than Ever. Can It Be Saved?

January 25, 2021

The concept of “mobility” or moving freely across borders must be dramatically redefined to strengthen global education, School of Education and Social Policy alumna Kara Godwin (MS05) said during a recent Northwestern University webinar.

Heather Foster

Alumna Heather Foster: Making the World a Better Place

January 21, 2021

SESP alumna Heather Foster (BS03), a political strategist and expert on race and public policy issues, was among three alumni honored by the Northwestern University Black Alumni Association during its annual meeting.

Jessica Marshall

Learning Sciences Graduate Student Receives CASEL Fellowship

January 18, 2021

Jessica Marshall, a graduate student in the learning sciences doctoral program, received a two-year ​pre-doctoral research fellowship with the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) to further her work creating more equitable ​civic ​learning environments​ across civic education​.

kids using Osmo kit

SESP Facilitates Donation of Learning Games

January 8, 2021

SESP helped facilitate the donation of approximately 8,500 Osmo sampler kits to children and educators in Evanston and Chicago, including Evanston/Skokie School District 65, Chicago Public Schools (CPS), and community organizations.

Bettina L. Love

Abolitionist Teaching: A Conversation with Bettina L. Love

January 4, 2021

Bettina L. Love, the Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia who coined the term “abolitionist teaching,” will discuss race, education, and activism in a webinar hosted by Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy.

SESP faculty group shot

SESP in the Media: January 2021

January 2, 2021

An ongoing, monthly roundup of appearances in the news media by School of Education and Social Policy faculty, researchers, and our community.