Directory

Dr. Christy Wessel-Powell

Director

Christy Wessel-Powell is an Assistant Professor of Literacy & Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on critical literacy and equity in schools and across communities, through collaborative work. 

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Dr. Patricia Morita-Mullaney

Associate Director

Patricia Morita-Mullaney is an Associate Professor of Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on language learning, gender, and race. 

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Dr. Janet Alsup

Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction

Janet Alsup is the Department Head of Curriculum and Instruction and Professor of Literacy and Language Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on teacher education, teaching of composition and literature instruction in secondary schools, critical pedagogy, and young adult literature. 

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Dr. Arianna Banack

Visiting Assistant Professor of English Education

Arianna Banack is a visiting Assistant Professor of English Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on English education, critical literacy, and young adult literature.  

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Dr. Helen Bentley

Assistant Clinical Professor of Literacy and Language

Helen Bentley is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on social justice work, critical and equity literacy approaches, and pre-service teacher education.  

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Dr. Virak Chan

Clinical Assistant Professor of Literacy & Language Education

Virak Chan is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Literacy & Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. His research focuses on language and education policies, teacher development, bilingual education, and linguistic landscape. 

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Dr. Breanya Hogue

Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language Education

Breanya Hogue is an Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on urban education, communities of practice, children’s literature, culturally proactive pedagogy, and literacy engagement. Breanya is the founder of the Purdue Freedom Schools Program which will be operating for first time in Summer 2023.  

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Dr. Lanette Jimerson

Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language Education

Lanette Jimerson is an Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. She conducts research on the intersection of literacy theory, writing development, and assessment of youth and adult learners from racially, economically, and linguistically marginalized communities. 

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Dr. Melanie Kuhn

Jean Adamson Stanley Faculty Chair

Melanie Kuhn is the Jean Adamson Stanley Faculty Chair in Literacy Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on instructional approaches bridge the gap between struggling readers and their highest-achieving peers.  

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Dr. Kathy Martin

Continuing Lecturer

Kathy Martin is a Continuing Lecturer in Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. She collaborates with the Literacy and Language Development Clinics and supports pre-service and in-service teachers in literacy and language instruction. Her research focuses on exemplary teachers and their emergent literacy practices, especially with marginalized populations 

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Dr. Jennifer Renn

Research Assistant Professor

Jennifer Renn is a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on language and literacy development in diverse populations, teacher language attitudes, English language learner education, language assessment, and language variation and identity. 

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Dr. Brenda Sarmiento-Quezada

Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language

Brenda Sarmiento-Quezada is an Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her primary research area is on language practices and identity performances of linguistically and culturally diverse students. 

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Dr. Ofelia Schepers

Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language

Ofelia Schepers is an Assistant Professor in Literacy and Language Education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on secondary traumatic stress in teachers, dual language and bilingual teacher preparation, multicultural and bilingual education practices, and equity and social justice issues in education. 

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Dr. Tara Star Johnson

Associate Professor of Literacy and Language Education

Tara Star Johnson is an Associate Professor of Literacy and Language Education and the director of English Education at Purdue University. Her research currently focuses on the process and politics behind the development of standards and high-stakes assessment in Indiana and writ large. 

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Dr. Wayne E. Wright

Professor and Barbara I. Cook Chair of Literacy and Language, Associate Dean for Research, Graduate Programs, and Faculty Development

Wayne Wright’s research agenda centers around equitable language and educational policies and programs for language minoritized students. As a former ESL and bilingual (Khmer) teacher, Dr. Wright conducts research on bilingual education, dual language programs, mother-tongue-based multilingual education, English as a second/foreign language, second language teaching and learning, heritage languages, high-stakes testing, and language assessment. He is the author of two best-selling textbooks—Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (with Colin Baker, 2021, 7^th edition, Multilingual Matters), and Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners: Research, Theory, Policy, and Practice (2019, 3^rd edition, Caslon Publishing).

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Dr. Michelle Fry

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Michelle Fry is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University.

Dr. Mengfei Liu

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Mengfei Liu is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Purdue University.  Her research focuses on preparing teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse learners and multilingual learners’ content and language learning.  

Dr. Natalia Ramirez-Cassalvolone

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Natalia Ramirez-Casalvolone is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. Her research focuses on adult women education in Costa Rica from the theoretical perspectives of funds of knowledge, adult education, and feminism pedagogy.   

Dr. Chrystal Johnson

Associate Professor of Social Studies

Dr. Chrystal Johnson is an Associate Professor of Social Studies Education in the College of Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on race, culturally consonant pedagogy, character development, civic education, and schools of choice. 

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Dr. Stephanie Masta

Associate Professor of Curriculum Studies

Dr. Stephanie Masta is an Associate Professor of Curriculum Studies in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Purdue University. She conducts research on critical qualitative and Indigenous methodologies, experiences of racialized youth in schools, and influence of colonialism in educational spaces.  

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Dr. Amanda Case

Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology

Dr. Amanda S. Case is an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology in the College of Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on extra-academic, academic, ecological, and sociopolitical factors that affect youth well-being and development.  

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Dr. Laura Bofferding

Associate Professor of Mathematics Education

Dr. Laura Bofferding is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education in the College of Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses on children’s cognitive development and understanding of mathematics including negative numbers, the use of games to support numerical understanding, and the use of assessment to inform mathematics instruction.  

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Cammie McBride

Associate Dean for Research for the College of Health and Human Sciences and Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science

Cammie McBride is the Associate Dean for Research for the College of Health and Human Sciences and Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Her work focuses specifically on literacy development and impairment across cultures.

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Dr. Jennifer Barce

Assistant Dean for Teacher Education

Jennifer Barce is the Assistant Dean for Teacher Education in the College of Education at Purdue University. 

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Ed Wiercioch

Coordinator of Early Field Experiences

Ed Wiercioch is the coordinator of early field experiences in the College of Education at Purdue University. 

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Louanne Holladay

Teaching Resource Center Library Assistant

Louanne Halliday is a staff member from the Teaching Resource Center (TRC) of the College of Education at Purdue University.  

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Brenda Hash

Teaching Resource Center Library Assistant

Brenda Hash is a staff member from the Teaching Resource Center (TRC) of the College of Education at Purdue University.

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Phal Wright

Teaching Resource Center Library Assistant

Phal Wright is a staff member from the Teaching Resource Center (TRC) of the College of Education at Purdue University. Phal is also an instructional assistant at Murdoch Elementary School where she provides inclusion support for classroom teachers and one-on-one literacy and learning support for special education students.

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