I am currently a sixth year doctoral candidate in the Educational Psychology: Human Development, Culture, and Learning Sciences program at The University of Texas at Austin, working in the Motivation and Education Research Group (MERG) with Dr. Erika Patall. I also received my master’s in Program Evaluation from The University of Texas at Austin.
Before enrolling at UT, I completed my BA in Psychology and my MA in Elementary Education from Austin College. I began my career by teaching for five years before returning to school to pursue my PhD. I taught 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts at KIPP: TRUTH Academy in south Dallas.
The research I have conducted and been a part of has been driven by an overall desire to help guide educational theory and policy. With this predominant goal in mind I have developed three lines of research under the mentorship of Dr. Erika Patall. Two of these lines relate to factors that influence academic achievement and motivation, such as 1) parent and teacher autonomy support and its relationship with academic achievement, motivation, and psychosocial functioning, and 2) the relationship between psychological health and physical health and its impact on motivation and achievement. In addition, my third line of research includes the powerful tools of systematic research synthesis, particularly meta-analysis, to help guide theory and practice.
I have experience teaching across multiple age groups and developmental levels, from early elementary to college students. To me teaching is an art, not a science. I have spent many years studying and practicing this art, but I believe I will never stop learning and gaining skills related to this art. I believe my identity as a teacher is constantly being challenged and evolving, and it is an ongoing process that I readily embrace. Learning the art of teaching never stops. However, there are some fundamentals that have remained the same and guide my life as a teacher; 1) everyone can learn, 2) my teaching is student centered, and 3) I strive to instill a love of learning in my students.
I work as a mentor for EdPsyched. As a mentor I offer academic support for middle school and high school students. I provide one-on-one mentoring to teach my mentees skills for academic success.
Mentorship is very important in our Motivation and Education Research Group at UT. We employ a mentorship model, where graduate students in their third or fourth year are matched with a first year doctoral student. This pairing allows for an exchange of institutional knowledge, program information, and general support.
I believe community service is an important part of being a member of society. I belong to a service group called the Karma Badgers, where Austin friends and neighbors volunteer in community projects. Our motto is, “Honey badger don’t care, karma badgers do!”
I also believe professional service is important and I am an active member of national and university wide organizations. From 2012 – 2014 I was the Graduate Student Co-Chair for Division C: Learning and Instruction Graduate Student Council, American Educational Research Association. From 2012 – 2013 I was the University of Texas at Austin’s Graduate Student Assembly Programs Director.