Anderson, Eleanor
Lecturer & Research Fellow
Degrees
- BA, Linguistics, Yale University, 2006
- PhD, Learning Sciences, Northwestern University, 2017
Research Interests
How do educational innovations get implemented, institutionalized and scaled up in K-12 schools? How do micro-level social and material interactions constitute, facilitate or obstruct these processes?
More specifically, my dissertation focused on changing models of school discipline.
, My research program addresses the broad questions: How are research-based programs and policies developed, translated, implemented, and scaled up? What modes of reinforcement and reproduction support persistence and change in existing practices? How might researchers work with teachers, school leaders and policymakers to better bridge the 'research-practice gap'?
I investigate these questions in empirical contexts ranging from comprehensive school reforms, to online teacher PD, to research-practice partnerships, with a special focus on school-based restorative justice practices.
Bush-Mecenas, Susan
Postdoctoral Fellow
Degrees
- PhD Urban Education Policy, University of Southern California, 2018
- MA Education Policy, Organizations, and Leadership Studies, Stanford University, 2010
- BM Music Education , University of Southern California, 2007
Cady, Elliott
Center for Talent Development Middle School Coordinator, Summer Program
Degrees
- BA, Economics and Spanish, Northwestern University
- MS, Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 1997
Calvert, Eric
Associate Director, Center for Talent Development
Instructor, Master of Science in Education
Degrees
- MSE, Educational Psychology - Gifted Emphasis, Purdue University
- BSE, Secondary Education, University of Central Missouri
- EdD, Leadership Studies, Bowling Green State University
Coleman, Coleen
Associate Dean, School of Education and Social Policy
Degrees
- BS, Communication, Northwestern University, 1988
- MS, Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 1991
Corwith, Susan
Associate Director, Center for Talent Development
Instructor, Master of Science in Education
Degrees
- PhD, Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007
- MS, Curriculum & Instruction, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1997
- BS, Secondary Education, English, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1994
Dohrer, Timothy
Director, Master of Science in Education Program
Assistant Professor, School of Education and Social Policy
Degrees
- PhD, Curriculum and Instruction, Penn State University, 1999
- MA, English, Northwestern University, 1995
- BA, English and Journalism, Indiana University, 1990
Research Interests
Leadership development, curriculum and instruction, and curriculum integration.
Dowling, Stephen
Summer Program Coordinator, Center for Talent Development
Degrees
- MMEd, Music Education, Northwestern University, 2011
- BA, Music, Kenyon College, 2008
Figlio, David
Dean, School of Education and Social Policy
Orrington Lunt Professor of Education and Social Policy
Faculty Fellow, Institute for Policy Research
Degrees
- PhD, Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1995
- MS, Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1992
- BS, Business Economics and Public Policy, George Washington University, 1991
Research Interests
Accountability policy; economics of education; teacher quality; teacher labor markets; anti-poverty policy; intergenerational transmission of human capital; evaluation design.
Gansen, Heidi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Degrees
- Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Michigan, 2018
- M.A. in Sociology, University of Michigan, 2015
- M.A. in Sociology, University of Northern Iowa, 2013
- B.A. in Sociology and Criminology, University of Northern Iowa, 2011
Salgado, Cassandra
Director, Northwestern Academy for Chicago Public Schools
Degrees
- MEd, School Counseling, DePaul University
- BA, Psychology, DePaul University

Goren, Paul
Director and Lecturer, Center for Education Efficacy, Excellence, and Equity
Degrees
- PhD - Stanford University School of Education (1991)
- Master of Public Affairs - The LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas-Austin (1984)
- BA - Williams College (1980)
Research Interests
Implementation of Education Policy in Districts and Schools; School Districts as Learning Organizations; Understanding the linkages between policy and practice; leadership in public schools.
Hoffman, Mark P.
Senior Academic Advisor and Enrollment Manager
Degrees
- JD, Chicago-Kent College of Law, 2009
- MS, Iowa State University, 1990
- BA, Colorado State University, 1987
Hu, Sihua (Adrienne)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Degrees
- PhD, Mathematics Education, Michigan State University, 2016
- MS, Statistics, Michigan State University, 2015
- BS, Mathematics and Statistics, Sichuan University, 2010
Research Interests
Mathematics and statistics education, observational measures of teaching quality, teachers' engagement and social networks in virtual spaces
Logan, Regina
Assistant Professor of Instruction and Adviser
Degrees
- MA, French Language and Literature, University of Wisconsin, 1971
- AB, French Language and Literature, University of Michigan, 1970
- PhD, Human Development and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 1993
- MA, Teaching & Learning Processes, Northwestern University, 1984
Research Interests
Stability and change over time in adulthood, especially during midlfe and beyond: wisdom, regret and life themes; gender differences in these areas.
Degrees
- PhD, Sociology, University of Chicago, 2007
- MSEd, Advanced Teaching, Northwestern University, 1997
- BS, Elementary Education, University of Illinois, 1993
Research Interests
Teacher education, mentoring, and induction; clinical preparation; features of preparation that promote candidate learning and teacher effectiveness
McGill, Tara
Adjunct Faculty, Master of Science in Education
Curriculum Development Specialist
Degrees
- MAT, Secondary Science with Middle-Level Learning Endorsement, National Louis University
- MS, Entomology , University of Illinois- Urbana/Champaign
- BA, Biology, Boston University
Research Interests
Design of scientific curriculum materials, professional development and cooperative learning
Merrell, Jeff
Associate Director, MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program
Instructor, MS in Learning & Organizational Change Program
Degrees
- MS, Learning and Organizational Change, Northwestern University, 2006
- MBA, Marketing, Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management, 1989
- BA, English, Michigan State University, 1977
Research Interests
Organizational learning and knowledge management, digital networked learning, personal learning networks, social media and social collaboration technologies.
Novak, Michael
Adjunct Faculty, Learning Sciences and MSEd Programs
Researcher, Center For Connected Learning
Degrees
- MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1994
- BS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1992
Research Interests
Instructional materials design, professional development of teachers, professional learning communities, scientific modeling, and agent-based modeling.
Olson, Susan
Assistant Dean, Student Affairs
Degrees
- MA, College Student Personnel, University of Maryland - College Park
- AB, Albion College, Speech Communication
Olszewski-Kubilius, Paula
Professor, Education and Social Policy
Director, Center for Talent Development
Degrees
- PhD, Educational Psychology, Northwestern University, 1983
- MA, Educational Psychology, Northwestern University, 1981
- BA, Elementary Education, St. Xavier University, 1977
Research Interests
Talent development, accelerated educational programs, needs of special populations of gifted children.
Ramey, Kay
Postdoctoral Fellow
Degrees
- MA, Social Sciences, University of Chicago, 2010
- BA, Psychology and Art Theory & Practice, Northwestern University, 2007
- PhD, Learning Sciences, Northwestern University, 2017
Research Interests
My research examines how young people organize their own learning and how to design spaces and activities that allow them to do so. Most of this research has been conducted in the context of STEAM activities and maker spaces, drawing on my own personal background in the arts. One line of my work investigates interest development and the role of interest in learning. This includes how interest-driven learning supports the development of 21st century skills, how young people pursue interests and learning across contextual boundaries, and how interest-driven learning environments might support equitable engagement. A second line of work examines how young people organize and make use of social and material resources to make sense of spatial phenomena. And a third line examines how educators make sense of and adapt innovative educational programming to meet their needs and the needs of their students, including adapting to a need for remote instruction.
My work is informed by a range of both cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives on learning, but primarily draws upon distributed perspectives on thinking and learning. As a result my current work is primarily qualitative, relying on video-ethnographic and interaction analysis methods. However, I also have a background in quantitative analysis, and have conducted a number of mixed methods studies.
Scott, Kimberly
Director, MS in Learning and Organizational Change Program
Assistant Professor, MS in Learning and Organizational Change Program
Degrees
- PhD, Business Administration, Organizational Behavior, The Ohio State University, 1995
- MA, Business Administration, The Ohio State University, 1994
- BA, Psychology, University of Cincinnati, 1991
Research Interests
Improving workplace environments and practices that foster employee wellness, learning and success; relationships between organizational practices and individual engagement and well-being; transitions of individuals into leadership roles and how learning techniques can be designed to accelerate leadership development.
Smerek, Ryan
Associate Professor, MS in Learning and Organizational Change Program
Assistant Director of Academic Affairs, MS in Learning and Organizational Change Program
Degrees
- PhD, University of Michigan, 2009
- EdM, Harvard University, 2004
- AB, Dartmouth College, 2000
Steenbergen-Hu, Saiying
Research Director, Center for Talent Development
Research Associate Professor, Education and Social Policy
Degrees
- PhD, Educational Psychology, Purdue University, 2009
- MA, University of Science & Technology of China, 2000
Research Interests
Academic achievement, psychological and social-emotional development, educational measurement and assessment, meta-analysis and research synthesis, quantitative research methods, executive functions, gifted education and talent development
Trautvetter, Lois
Director, Higher Education Administration and Policy
Professor, School of Education and Social Policy
Degrees
- MS, Polymer Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University
- BA, Chemistry, College of Wooster
- PhD, Higher Education Administration, University of Michigan
Research Interests
Engineering education research including retention and recruitment of female and underrepresented undergraduate students and faculty, interdisciplinary skills, contextual competence skills, and design and problem solving skills.
Faculty productivity, enhancing research and teaching, faculty motivation, enhancing faculty-student interaction, and new and junior faculty issues.
Student development research that includes holistic and spiritual development of undergraduates.
Gender issues, females in STEM disciplines.
Wadle, Bradley
Assistant Director, Master of Science in Education
Degrees
- BS, Theater, Northwestern University, 1997
- MS, Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, 2003