Graduate Students

Abby Slovick (she/her) is a doctoral student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in the School of Education. Her research interests encompass a variety of topics including technology in education, district governance, and democratic education.

Abby’s current research projects...Read more about Abby Slovick

Alice Taylor is a PhD candidate in the School of Education. An interdisciplinary social scientist and ethnographer, she studies youth identity formation and political development; sociocultural approaches to language, literacies, and learning across in-person and digital spaces; and...Read more about Alice Taylor

Allison Bradford is a doctoral student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development Cluster within the School of Education. She received her BS in Physics from the University of Maryland, and was a high school math and science teacher before attending graduate school.

...Read more about Allison Bradford

Allison Firestone is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education. Her research focuses broadly on equity-centered preservice teacher education, with an emphasis on building future teachers' capacity to enact a critically inclusive practice. Her dissertation is a mixed methods experiment that...Read more about Allison Firestone

Milly's research explores how student engagement in mathematical disciplinary practices can be leveraged towards advancing conceptual understanding of mathematics content. With a BA and MA in mathematics, Milly is interested in bringing powerful mathematics to all students. She has...Read more about Amelia Farid

Amy Banas is a doctoral student under the supervision of Dr. Elliot Turiel. She is a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and holds master's degrees in Global Studies and the Intersection of Sport and Education. Her master's thesis explored the use of sport in global peace and...Read more about Amy Banas

Andrew Estrada Phuong is a Chancellor’s Fellow, consultant, and program developer. He has a master's degree from Harvard University and has conducted mixed-methods experimental research. Phuong has studied how adaptive equity-oriented pedagogies and instructor professional development strategies...Read more about Andrew Phuong

Anna Zarkh is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Group in Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME). She holds BA and MA degrees in Mathematics, and a teaching certificate from Israel. Anna’s research focuses on university mathematics education, specializing in socio-cultural theories,...Read more about Anna Zarkh

Arlyn Moreno Luna is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Her scholarly interests include access and equity in higher education for first-generation and traditionally underrepresented students; students’...Read more about Arlyn Moreno Luna

Ashley Zhou is a PhD student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education at the UC Berkeley School of Education and San Francisco State University. Originally from New Jersey, she completed her undergraduate thesis on Asian American women’s mental health and affective responses to...Read more about Ashley Zhou

Bowen is passionate about promoting the crucial role of input in learning a foreign language, that is, reading/listening to/watching what fascinates the learner in large amounts. He hopes to bridge the gap between research and the language learning/teaching practice by translating research-based...Read more about Bowen Wang

Brittney's research is focused on language development and, in particular, how children develop relational concepts through social interaction and embodied activity. Her current projects are related to language development among children who communicate using Augmentative and Alternative...Read more about Brittney Cooper

C. Darius Gordon (they/them) is an interdisciplinary scholar and educator. They are currently a PhD candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, & Gender program cluster. Broadly, they study the histories of 20th-century Black liberation movements throughout the Atlantic world. Drawing...Read more about C. Darius Gordon

Caleb E. Dawson is a community organizer, dancer, and Black feminist ethnographer from Federal Way, Wash. Caleb indulges in reimagining and redistributing state-sanctioned resources to build life-affirming institutions that sustain state-forsaken peoples.

A PhD candidate in Critical...Read more about Caleb Dawson

In a radically interconnected world, Catherine’s research focuses on how ethical, sociocultural, educational desires have turned toward the global. More specifically, she situates her current research project in rapidly urbanizing spaces in China, where urban development and the growth of...Read more about Catherine Park

Collette is a PhD student working at the intersection of Computer Science (CS) Education and Learning Sciences (LS). She has worked across a number of critical computing education projects and their respective incredible teams. One such incredible team includes Dr. Michelle Wilkerson and...Read more about Collette Roberto

Corrine Aramburo is a doctoral candidate in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education at UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Her research interests include special education teacher preparation; special education teacher knowledge; on-site administration; special...Read more about Corrine Aramburo

Cristina S. Méndez is a PhD student in the Critical Studies of Race, Class and Gender. She is also pursuing a designated emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization. Her research interests span disciplines, drawing on sociology, ethnic studies, migration studies, among others. Through her...Read more about Cristina Méndez

Cynthia Valencia-Ayala is a PhD candidate in the School Psychology program and a practicing school psychologist. Prior to coming to Berkeley and throughout her time in graduate school, Cynthia has worked to provide culturally relevant mental health services to youth experiencing carceral...Read more about Cynthia Valencia-Ayala

Danièle Fogel is doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender cluster at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. She works to develop rigorous, interdisciplinary, and critical professional development for teachers on issues of racial and social justice; she does...Read more about Danièle Fogel

David is a formerly incarcerated PhD candidate in the School of Education. He grew up in Berkeley and Oakland and is interested in refusing/unsettling/troubling the logics of the university and the Carceral State from an abolitionist autonomous sensibility....Read more about David Maldonado

David Stevens is a doctoral student in the Social Research Methodologies cluster at the UC Berkeley School of Education. His research interests center on the development of alternative models for educational data analysis and their practical applications including informing instructional...Read more about David Stevens

Diana Casanova is a fourth-year doctoral candidate whose research examines the policies and practices that empower family and community stakeholders to affect social change. Her work explores the ways that families and communities participate in and impact education policymaking,...Read more about Diana Casanova

Edwin Carlos (He/Him) is a 1st year PhD student in the School Psychology program at the School of Education. He is a 2nd generation Filipino American from Renton, Wash., and graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts in psychology and a minor in education from Stanford University in 2020....Read more about Edwin Carlos

Elaine Luo is a PhD candidate in the School Psychology Program at Berkeley School of Education (BSE). Prior to joining the BSE, Elaine received her MEd in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2020 and her BA in Education Sciences from the University of...Read more about Elaine (Hua) Luo

Emily Reich (she/her) is a first-year doctoral student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in the School of Education. She comes to graduate school with questions about the ways in which bureaucracy and the school staff who wield it shape the educational lives of marginalized...Read more about Emily Reich

Enrique Valencia López is a PhD student in the Policy, Politics and Leadership cluster at the School of Education. His research interests relate to three broad areas: the stratification of education by gender, immigration status and ethnicity; the measurement of teacher working conditions...Read more about Enrique Valencia López

Eric Assan (He/Him) is a 1st year Master's degree student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in the School of Education. He is also pursuing a graduate certificate in Applied Data Science. He is an awardee of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, a fully funded...Read more about Eric Assan

Francis Rojas has been an educational leader at the two largest and diverse high schools in the Bay Area over the last 20 year - James Logan High School in Union City, Calif., (2002-2017) and Milpitas High School in Milpitas, Calif., (2017-current). He has served in various roles from...Read more about Francis Rojas

Franklin B. Mejía received a BA and a Masters in Education at the University of California, San Diego and is currently a 4th year graduate student in the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, he is finalizing his third prequalifying paper and is studying for...Read more about Franklin B. Mejía

As a child, Ali and his family immigrated to the United States from Pakistan and settled in Englewood, New Jersey. As a proud New Jerseyan, he earned his Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, followed by a Master's degree in Biological Science Education at...Read more about Haider Ali Bhatti

Hoyun Kim is a PhD student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster at the School of Education. Her research interests lie in the experiences of students in higher education and examining postsecondary institutions as organizations: topics pertaining to student agency, equity,...Read more about Hoyun Kim

Isabella Ahrens is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the School Psychology Program. She is currently working at an elementary and high school in San Francisco Unified School District as a school psychology intern. Isabella has engaged in assessment, consultation, and therapy practicum...Read more about Isabella Ahrens

Isabella C. Brown is both a Marcus Foster and Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program Fellow. She holds an MA from San Francisco State University and is a second-year PhD student in the Joint Doctoral Program with the University of California, Berkeley. In Spring 2019, she was appointed to the...Read more about Isabella Brown

Jackie is a PhD student in the School Psychology Program under the advisement of Professor Frank Worrell. Jackie’s primary research interest include: understanding the educational experiences of low income, Latine students; parent education as a mediator for Latine students academic...Read more about Jackie Lopez Santiago

Jake grew up in rural New Hampshire in a family of teachers, and learned to admire educators from an early age. In college, he did his best to reconcile his interests in climate science and storytelling, graduating from Harvard with a BA in Environmental Science & Public Policy and a minor...Read more about Jacob Barton

Jacqueline Anton is a student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education. Her research addresses embodied mathematics interventions for students with moderate/ extensive support needs. She is also interested in inclusive mathematics pedagogy and teacher education. Her work is inspired by...Read more about Jacqueline Anton

Ja’Nya is a second year PhD student in the Education Policy, Politics and Leadership cluster. She is a proud East Coast native, raised in the “DMV”: DC, Maryland, Virginia region. She started her career as a Special Education Teacher and case manager, eventually transitioning into roles around...Read more about Ja’Nya Banks

Jennie Greenstein is a 3rd year PhD student in the School Psychology Program in the Berkeley School of Education. Prior to joining the BSE, Jennie received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychological & Brain Sciences and Educational Studies from Washington University in St. Louis....Read more about Jennie Greenstein

Jeremy’s research explores the role of venture philanthropy in K-12 education. More specifically, he is interested in the role of philanthropic organizations that are founded by or led by people of color. Using political science as a disciplinary framework, his work explores the relationship...Read more about Jeremy Martin

Jin Hyung Lim is a PhD student in the 2022 cohort of the School Psychology Program at the Berkeley School of Education. He obtained BA in Education (with Summa Cum Laude) and MA in Special Education at Seoul National University in South Korea. Jin Hyung also received a prestigious...Read more about Jin Hyung Lim

Joy Esboldt is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender cluster at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Education. Her research focuses on teachers’ learning about race, racism, and anti-racism as it intersects with gender and cultural politics. Joy’s...Read more about Joy Esboldt

Julia Zhu is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender program at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Her work explores the ways that college students in China perceive social class and meritocracy, and how social economic and educational changes have shaped their...Read more about Julia Zhu

Julien Putz is a first-year doctoral student in the Graduate Group of Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME) at UC Berkeley. His primary advisor is Prof. Dor Abrahamson and he is an active member of the Embodied Design Research Laboratory. He is interested in understanding and modelling the...Read more about Julien Putz

Julissa is a third year PhD student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. She was born and raised in Southern California to two hard-working immigrant parents from Mexico and El Salvador. Julissa, a first generation college student, completed her undergraduate studies at UC Irvine and...Read more about Julissa Navas

Kelly is a third-year doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley. As a former science teacher in Oakland, Calif., Kelly’s work is deeply informed by her teaching experience and former students. Her current research focuses on how teachers and curriculum designers support students...Read more about Kelly Billings

Kevin Quintero (He/Him/His) is a PhD student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster at UC Berkeley’s School of Education. Kevin’s research interests are using methodological and theoretical approaches to reveal the causes of political, social, and educational inequalities. His current...Read more about Kevin Quintero

Krina, a Kenyan-born Indian, has always been intrigued by the diverse educational systems across different countries. Her passion for engineering design was sparked during her senior year of high school when a baking mishap inspired her to pursue an engineering degree at Penn State....Read more about Krina Patel

A California Bay Area native, Laleh has always been interested in education, music, writing, and people. In her 20s, she discovered a passion for human health and began studying biology at the local community college. As an undergraduate, she was involved in research in molecular biology;...Read more about Laleh Coté

As a Learning Scientist, Darryl's research investigates how STEM students can academically excel within oppressive social systems filled with negative gender and racial stereotypes.

He is interested in designing means, as informed by the theory of embodied cognition, by which...Read more about Lieutenant Darryl Diptee

María Rojas is a Chilean PhD candidate at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. In Chile, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in journalism and worked as a journalist for international affairs at CNN Chile. She became interested in specializing in education after working for two years as a...Read more about María Rojas

Mark Pommer is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. Mark received his EdS in school psychology from Columbia University. His current research interests include bilingual evaluations, second language acquisition, and addressing disproportionality of English...Read more about Mark Pommer

Meg Escudé is a phd student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster. Her research engages community-based afterschool educators in the co-development of liberatory learning experiences for young people. Meg has over 12 years of experience as an educator and program director in...Read more about Meg Escudé

Meg Everett is a Regent’s Fellow and doctoral student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development program with a Designated Emphasis in New Media. Her research interests include critical media literacy, participatory technologies, computer-mediated learning and communication, and the...Read more about Meg Everett

Megan Frogley is a master’s student in the Cultural Studies of Sport in Education (aligned with Critical Studies in Race and Gender) within the School of Education. She received her BA in Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity from the University of Durham in England in 2015, in addition to...Read more about Megan Frogley

Monica Thomas is a first-year doctoral student in Cohort 1 of the Leadership for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) program in the UC Berkeley School of Education. Her research interests include school improvement and central office reform and the role local politics and community engagement play...Read more about Monica Thomas

Nicole is a third year PhD student in the School Psychology program within the School of Education. She graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oneonta in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Educational Psychology.

She is currently focusing her research on...Read more about Nicole Faraci

Olufemi “Femi” Ogundele (he/him/his) became a doctoral student in UC Berkeley's educational doctorate, Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) in 2021. In his capacity as Associate Vice Chancellor of Admissions & Enrollment at Berkeley, Femi provides vision, strategy and leadership in...Read more about Olufemi Ogundele

Pa Vue is a PhD student in the Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender cluster at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. She is also in the Designated Emphasis in Indigenous Language Revitalization. Her research interests are in Hmong language resilience, reclamation, and revitalization....Read more about Pa Vue

Qifan Zhang is a PhD student in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley, with a concentration in Policy, Politics, and Leadership. Qifan graduated from Tianjin University and received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. From there, she continued...Read more about Qifan Zhang

Quennie Dong is a first-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. Quennie graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Social Behavior and minor in Education. She then attended Florida International University and...Read more about Quennie Dong

Rachel Williams is a PhD candidate in the School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Her work explores the linkages between the political economy, segregation, education policy, and Black politics. Her dissertation utilizes qualitative and spatial methods to examine the...Read more about Rachel Elizabeth Williams

Ratih is a first-year PhD student in the cluster of Learning Science and Human Development (LSHD) and is interested in embodied cognition, design-based research, ethnomathematics, cultural funds of knowledge, and cross-cultural epistemic diversity.

She obtained her BA from Universitas...Read more about Ratih Ayu Apsari

Rose Cartwright is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education’s School Psychology program, where she earned her Personal Pupil Services (PPS) credential with a specialization in School Psychology. She works under the advisement of Professor Elliot Turiel – as well as other faculty in the...Read more about Rose Cartwright

Samuel Santos Jr. [he/him/his], began his journey in UC Berkeley’s educational doctorate, Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD), in 2021.

He is a student affairs practitioner with nearly two decades of experience in post-secondary settings. Passionate about equity, access...Read more about Samuel Santos Jr.

Sarah Manchanda is pursuing a PhD in School Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her lived experiences as a disabled woman of color shape her research interests, clinical work, and advocacy efforts in graduate school. Sarah is driven by a firm commitment to promote inclusive...Read more about Sarah Manchanda

Siqi is a first-year PhD student in the Graduate Group of Science and Mathematics Education (SESAME) at UC Berkeley. Her primary advisor is Prof. Alan H. Schoenfeld and she is an active member of the Functions group and the Teaching for Robust Understanding (TRU) research group. Siqi is...Read more about Siqi Huang

Sofia Tancredi conducts design-based research on sensory and perceptual aspects of learning with an emphasis on neurodiverse learners’ sensory experiences, drawing upon embodied cognition theory. Her work is inspired by her background working with K-12 learners, particularly students identified...Read more about Sofia Tancredi

Talia Leibovitz (she/her/hers) is a doctoral candidate in School Psychology in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research explores how white parents’ school choices for their children are informed and shaped by policy; notions of merit;...Read more about Talia Leibovitz

Tu Moua Carroz is part of the inaugural cohort of the Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) program, here at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. She firmly believes all students must be provided the opportunities to reach their highest potential regardless of race, class, income or...Read more about Tu Moua Carroz

Umara Hansen (she/her/hers) is a first year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at UC Berkeley. Umara attended the University of Ottawa, Canada and graduated with the highest distinction of Honours in Psychology, BSc where she studied the impact of stress on wellbeing through...Read more about Umara Hansen

Vicky is a PhD candidate in the SESAME program and a member of the CoRE lab (Computational Representations in Education). She is interested in better understanding and supporting productive engagement in mathematical argumentation. Proofs have a central place in her work, and she employs low-...Read more about Vasiliki (Vicky) Laina

Vianney A. Gavilanes is a doctoral candidate in the Critical Studies of Race, Class and Gender. As a self-identified Mexican migrant child educated in California’s public K-12 schools and universities, she is committed to serving racially and linguistically minoritized students like...Read more about Vianney A. Gavilanes

Viviane is currently a doctoral student in School Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley working under the supervision of Dr. Elliot Turiel. She is also a nationally certified school psychologist and a registered psychological assistant. Her decision to enter school psychology...Read more about Viviane Chang

Weiying is a PhD student in Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster in the School of Education at UC Berkeley. She is pursuing a Designated Emphasis in New Media. In partnership with teachers from rural China and California, her current research focuses on: 1) designing culturally...Read more about Weiying Li

Xinyu (Celia) Wei is a second-year Master’s student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development program at the School of Education at UC Berkeley. As an international scholar from China, Xinyu desires to help students celebrate productive struggles, leverage everyday experiences, and...Read more about Xinyu (Celia) Wei

Yared is a PhD student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster at UC Berkeley’s School of Education with a focus on Language, Literacy, and Culture. Before graduate school, Yared was a community organizer and educator in South Philadelphia where she worked with the Latinx...Read more about Yared Portillo

Yi (Joe) Zhou is an international student from China. He is a PhD student in the Learning Sciences and Human Development cluster at UC Berkeley's School of Education, advised by Professor Elliot Turiel. Yi is hugely interested in the broad topic of morality, and enjoys reading ethical theories...Read more about Yi Zhou

Zoe Silverman is a doctoral student in Learning Sciences & Human Development at UC Berkeley. She is interested in object-based teaching and learning, embodied cognition, sensory studies, inquiry and interpretation in the arts, museum historiography, and joint attention. Her current project...Read more about Zoe Silverman