Graduate Student

Siqi Huang

Siqi Huang is a Ph.D. candidate in mathematics education at the University of California, Berkeley, mentored by Felix Klein Medalist Alan H. Schoenfeld. Siqi holds a B.S. in mathematics from UCLA and is concurrently pursuing a Master’s degree in mathematics under Fields Medalist Richard Borcherds to deepen her mathematical expertise. Siqi has presented her research at major conferences, including PME-NA (International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education - North American Chapter), AERA (American Educational Research Association), and RUME (Research in Undergraduate Mathematics...

Xingyao (Doria) Xiao

Doria Xiao is a Ph.D. candidate in Social Research Methodologies at the University of California, Berkeley, with an anticipated graduation in Spring 2025. Her research focuses on psychometrics and quantitative methods in education, with particular emphasis on Bayesian statistical modeling, latent variable modeling, longitudinal and hierarchical modeling, as well as integrating machine learning into educational assessments. A significant part of her work addresses identifiability challenges in Bayesian Growth Mixture Models (GMMs) and improving model evaluation.

Doria's...

Jose Aguilar

Jose R. Aguilar Jr. is an enthusiastic and driven scholar-educator. He brings a wealth of experience and a solid commitment to addressing systemic issues in education. Born out of his personal experiences as a first-generation college student and a keen observer of the challenges faced by underrepresented communities, Jose has dedicated his career to dismantling the barriers that hinder the educational aspirations of Latino students.

Jose is a doctoral student and Computational Research for Equity in the Legal System (CRELS) Fellow in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership program at...

Kyla Kemble

Kyla Kemble (she/her) is a fourth year PhD student in the school psychology program at the Berkeley School of Education, under the advisement of Dr. Frank C. Worrell. A New Jersey native, she received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology Honors at Seton Hall University in 2021.

Broadly, Kyla’s current research focuses on establishing and maintaining culturally responsive practices in classrooms, consultation and collaboration with teachers, and implicit biases in education. Additionally, she has a special interest in multiracial youth and enjoys thinking about...

Mark Pommer

Mark Pommer is a doctoral candidate in the UC Berkeley School Psychology program. Mark received his EdS in school psychology from Columbia University. His current research is dedicated to translating psychological research findings into applied school and clinical psychology practice.

Mark is also involved in research that utilizes a risk and resiliency framework to study the psychology of hope, the neuropsychology of ADHD, the function of play in human development, international school psychology, and assistive technology research and design.

Mark’s return to...

Kevin Quintero

Kevin Quintero (He/Him/His) is a PhD candidate in Policy, Politics, and Leadership 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 research examines how the expansion of voting rights in California creates opportunities for minority groups to increase representation on school boards and influence educational policymaking. In particular, his dissertation shows how the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) has reshaped electoral systems for...

Ashley Zhou

Ashley Zhou is a student of the Joint Doctoral program in special education with UC Berkeley and San Francisco State University. Her research focuses on structures of race, class, gender, and disability in special education through the role of the paraprofessional. Analyzing historical archives, she examines the labor formation of paraprofessionals and special education teachers in the aftermath of Brown. Her work also incorporates ethnography to examine the consequences of this labor formation for contemporary challenges in special education. Through this investigation of...

Emily Reich

Emily Reich (she/her) is a third-year doctoral student in the Policy, Politics, and Leadership cluster in UC Berkeley's 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 and minitoritized students.

Prior to Berkeley, Emily taught Special Education in California and Israel. She received her BS in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Her current research projects include studying how schools across California made use of state and...

Emely Lugo

Emely N. Lugo (she/ella) is a second-year doctoral student in the School Psychology Program at UC Berkeley's School of Education (BSE).


Before joining BSE, Emely pursued her studies in Psychology and Child Development at California State University, San Bernardino. Her research investigated the efficacy of computerized cognitive training in supporting the development of critical cognitive functions such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and processing speed, which are vital for academic success. She also explored the role of motivation in the...

Nicole Cedillo

Nicole Cedillo is an accomplished educator, researcher, and advocate for equitable education with a rich background in history, feminist studies, and English language development. With a Master of Arts in History from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts in Feminist Studies and History from the University of California, Santa Cruz, Nicole has seamlessly woven academic knowledge with a passion for creating inclusive learning environments.

The journey into education began with Nicole earning a Single Subject English Language Arts certification from the Reach Institute for School...