February 2017 Newsletter

Announcing the Appointment of Dr. Lauren E. Lindstrom as School of Education Dean

The School of Education is very pleased to announce that Dr. Lauren E. Lindstrom will serve as our next dean, starting on June 1. She has served for 25 years at the University of Oregon, most recently as associate dean of Research and Faculty Development in the College of Education. As a researcher, Dr. Lindstrom is recognized internationally and nationally for her work in special education, in particular in assisting youth with disabilities in making the transition from high school to employment and post-secondary education opportunities. We will be sharing more about Dr. Lindstrom and her vision for the field of education over the coming months. Read the UC Davis announcement of her appointment here.

Be a Give Day Ambassador for the School of Education

The School of Education is looking for Social Ambassadors to represent us during UC Davis’ first Give Day event, which will be on April 21-22 during Picnic Day weekend. If you love using social media and want to support the School’s students and faculty, this is a fun and easy way to make a difference. Contact Sarah Harlan to be added to the Social Ambassadors list. We’ll share more details on Give Day starting in March.

FACULTY NEWS

Dr. Megan Welsh Appointed Associate Professor

Congratulations to faculty member Dr. Megan Welsh, who has been promoted to the rank of associate professor. Dr. Welsh’s focus is psychometrics, and she studies how to design and evaluate assessments that are used to measure students’ achievement. We covered her work in a Catalyst magazine article examining whether it’s effective for teachers to “teach to the test” in order to improve their students’ results in high-stakes standardized testing. Read more.

Michal Kurlaender Recognized for Impact of her Scholarship

Professor Michal Kurlaender has once again made the list of university-based scholars who are doing the most to influence educational policy and practice in the United States. This is the third year in a row that she has been included in the RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings published in Education Week, and is a testament to her impact on the field of education. Read more.

New Funding for Center for Community and Citizen Science

The School of Education’s Center for Community and Citizen Science and its partner, Public Lab, will be exploring whether doing science can support deeper involvement in civic participation and democracy, thanks to funding by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. They will also examine whether and how people’s experience using community science methods can lead to increased confidence in scientific concepts, and increased civic engagement. Learn more about their work here.