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Gifted Education Research & Resource Institute

Centered at Purdue University, the Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER2I) is an innovative center dedicated to the discovery, study, and development of human potential.

Discover GER2I:

About

A group of students at the GER2I summer residential program stand in front of a sculpture at Purdue University

Advocating for High Ability Students

The Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER2I), based at Purdue University, focuses on developing human potential. Founded by John Feldhusen in 1978, GER2I’s mission is to promote the holistic growth of giftedness, creativity, and talents in individuals throughout their lives. We offer enrichment programs for talented youth, graduate programs for future leaders, professional development for educators, and conduct innovative research in related fields.

Our dedicated faculty and students work hard to create high-quality research and programs that significantly impact youth and their families. We are grateful for our donors and advisory board members, whose support keeps us focused on our mission.

We take pride in our diverse alumni and graduate students from around the world. At GER2I, we consider ourselves a family, both during our time at Purdue and as alumni, making a difference in global education. We welcome involvement in our youth programs, graduate applications, and visits from interested scholars.

Programs

Enriching educators’ and students’ lives

Two black students work on projects in a classroom
A sketchbook is shown over a student's shoulder
Two GER2I students stand with their project
A 3D printed character sits on a table with a student blurred behind it
Students look at items in a museum
Two black students work on projects in a classroom
A sketchbook is shown over a student's shoulder
Two GER2I students stand with their project
A 3D printed character sits on a table with a student blurred behind it
Students look at items in a museum

Support the Center’s Research and Activities

Make a Donation

Research

Project HOPE + (Grant)

Since 2012, Project HOPE+ has provided scholarships and travel costs for 40+ high-potential Native American students to attend GER2I summer residential academic programs, made possible by generous support from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and building on previous work in GER2I. Project HOPE+ seeks to validate methods for identifying talent among underrepresented students.

Native American Research Initiative

The Native American Research Initiative, originating from Purdue University’s Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute (GER2I) focuses on the needs of Native American, Alaska Native and Indigenous gifted, creative, and talented students.

Publications

Gifted Education in the United States

This report seeks to refine what is known about underrepresentation in gifted education by conducting more detailed analyses than have previously been done. Because of inequity in identification and services, many scholars and practitioners outside the field of gifted education raise concerns about racism, classism, and elitism within the field.

HOPE Teacher Rating Scale

The HOPE Teacher Rating Scale is designed to help guide teachers identify gifted students for programming. It is unique in several ways. First, it is short, with only 11 items that measure academic and social/affective components of giftedness, making it easy to use. Second, it is invariant when used to identify students from low-income and culturally diverse families. Third, it can be used across grade levels, K–12.

Total School Cluster Grouping & Differentiation

The Total School Cluster Grouping Model is a specific, research-based, total-school application of cluster grouping combined with differentiation, focused on meeting the needs of students identified as gifted while also improving teaching, learning, and achievement of all students.

Resources

GER2I Resources

Part of GER2I’s mission is to serve as a resource for parents and teachers who are looking to learn more about opportunities for gifted students and fellow academics who are interested in learning about our research in the field. While not an exhaustive list, we offer these resources as a starting point and welcome personal inquiries to our faculty.

Professional Development

Consulting Information

Faculty and staff are occasionally available for consulting with school districts. This is done on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Nielsen Pereira or Kristen Seward with specific needs and dates as far in advance as possible.

Purdue Online Learning Units

The Developing Student Strengths and Talents – Professional Development online course contains ten total units created by the GER2I team.

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Academic Programs

Take the next step and apply for one of our Gifted Education programs

News

F. Richard Olenchak

Olenchak named research director for world’s largest data set on gifted children

March 5, 2025

“The way of the future”: Gifted students explore AI’s potential for education

September 6, 2024

Dissecting squids and other hands-on activities: GER2I’s Super Summer program

July 17, 2024

Cooke Foundation awards $200K to GER2I

April 22, 2024

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Our Team

Administration

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Nielsen Pereira

Nielsen Pereira

Associate Professor

Kristen Seward

Kristen Seward

Clinical Associate Professor

Benna Haas

Benna Haas

Clinical Assistant Professor

Alissa Cress

Alissa Cress

Clinical Assistant Professor

Affiliated Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Students

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Alexander Bowman

GER2I Program Manager, Graduate Student

Yichen Dong

Yichen Dong

Graduate Student

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Sara Lee

Administrative Assistant

Richard Olenchak

F. Richard Olenchak

Professor

Brendha Tanujaya

Brendha Tanujaya

Graduate Student

Ms. Kathleen Bandolik
Retired Principal, O.A. Thorpe Academy

Dr. Pam R. Clinkenbeard (MS ’80, PhD ’84)
Professor of Educational Foundations, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Dr. Felicia Dixon  (PhD ’96)
Professor Emerita,  Ball State University

Dr. Matt Fugate
Assistant Professor, University of Houston-Downtown

Dr. Jan Hansen (Ph.D. ’88)
President/CEO, Educate Tanzania

Mrs. Dorothy L. Huang (MS ’72)
Realtor, Remax of Naperville

Dr. Penny Britton Kolloff (PhD ’83)
Professor Emerita, IL State University

Dr. Sidney Moon (MS ’85, Ph.D. ’91)
Professor Emerita, Purdue University

Jack Palmer
Marketing Coordinator, Frontier Builders

Dr. Scott Peters (Ph.D. ’09)
Associate Professor of Educational Foundations, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Dr. Ann Robinson (PhD ‘ 83)
Center for Gifted Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Dr. Kathleen Steele (BA ’70, MS ’72, PhD ’81)
Superintendent, Crawfordsville, Community School Corporation

Alfonso José Uribe
USM Colombia S.A.

Dr. Gilman W. Whiting (PhD ’04)
Professor, Vanderbilt University

Dr. Vicki Vaughn (PhD ’91)
Retired Principal & GT Coordinator, Edgelea Elementary School

Dr. Yang Yang (PhD ’12)
Director of Student Life, Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science

Contact Us

Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute Co-brand

Contact the GER2I main office at (765) 494-7243 or by email.