College of Education

MEET Some of our PROGRAM FACULTY

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• Curriculum & Instruction

  	Jie Zhang, Ph.D. Interim Chair, Department of Curriculum & Instruction Associate Professor, Bilingual/ESL Education Research Interests: My research is focused on language and literacy development and instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse learners and integrating language and literacy in STEM teaching and learning for English language learners. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I enjoy working at UH because of the great colleagues and students. I call Houston home because of its celebration of culture and diversity. I love to explore ethnic food/restaurants in Houston.
  	Sam Brower, Ed.D. Interim Associate Chair, Department of Curriculum & Instruction Clinical Professor, Social Studies Education Teaching/Research Interests: My work is situated at the intersection of critical pedagogy, social studies education and teaching for justice. I attempt to focus on how social studies educators can utilize transformative pedagogical practices to support student empowerment and deconstruct the traditional, hegemonic narratives and practices found in social studies classrooms. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? Houston is a city unlike any other. It’s the fourth largest city in the U.S., but somehow still maintains a small-town feel. Having lived here for the past 20 years, I have found it to be a crossroads of diversity, culture and people that offers a multitude of opportunities to engage in impactful work in advancing equity in education. Moreover, the College of Education’s mission and vision at UH embodies this work, and leadership continuously supports faculty in this work.
  	Laveria Hutchison, Ed.D. Associate Professor/Specialization Lead and Search Committee Chair, Literacy Education  Teaching/Research Interests: My scholarship intends to inform K-12 teachers, teacher candidates and parents to assist students with the acquisition and use of literacy strategies to demonstrate learning through print, voice and screen that connects to students’ cultural identities. Another area of interest is situated in STEM educational research to provide undergraduate and graduate students, along with career-changers, opportunities to become teachers in high-needs schools. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I enjoy working at UH because the students are exceptional, and they want to provide equitable education in classroom settings and in other workforce areas. Also, my colleagues are wonderful and full of innovative ideas they are always willing to share. Living in Houston provides me with many activities (sports, arts and outdoor exercise). Houston has a Medical Center that is internationally known. And, I love the short winter season!
  	Mimi Miyoung Lee, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Belonging and Success Professor and Search Committee Chair for Learning, Design and Technology Teaching/Research Interests: My research examines social and cultural aspects of technology in various learning environments. I have been trained as a critical ethnographer and enjoy continuous learning about critical qualitative research methodologies through my own research and teaching. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? The list will be too long for me! My sons and I have really enjoyed the food, the museums and many cultural experiences here in Houston. As an Asian American, I really appreciate the diversity and the feeling of home that UH and Houston have provided me and my family. The colleagues and the students I have met at UH have helped me grow as a person, a scholar and an educator.

• Educational Leadership & Policy Studies

  	Kristen Hassett, Ph.D., NCSP Interim Chair, Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Clinical Professor, Special Populations Research/Teaching Interests: I have the privilege of teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in special education, assessment, professional practice and consultation. My areas of expertise include individually administered norm-referenced assessment, assessment of learning difficulties, identification of learning disabilities, intellectual giftedness, intellectual disability, twice exceptionality, gender differences in special education, law and ethics, and professional development for educators. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? As a graduate of UH myself, I recognize the unique opportunities to work in a diverse setting. Located in the nation’s fourth-largest city comprised of 47 public school districts and 40 open-enrollment charter schools, UH is a minority-serving institution with unique learning and networking opportunities for students. I love working at the University of Houston because of the values espoused, including diversity, inclusion, freedom of expression, innovation, collaboration and resilience. I love Houston’s diversity and urban environment with amazing people, restaurants and museums.
  	April Peters-Hawkins, Ph.D. Associate Chair, Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Professor, K-12 Leadership Research Interests: My focus is broadly on school leadership. Specifically, I am interested in mentoring and support that districts provide for early career principals; the experiences of urban school leaders; and Black women principals and their epistemological articulation of the ways that intersectionality influences their leadership. I am currently co-PI on a Wallace Foundation grant examining equity-centered principal pipeline development in eight urban school districts across the U.S. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? Houston is a diverse city with many cultural activities and events for all ages. And the University of Houston is a wonderful work environment with many opportunities for faculty and staff to learn and grow.
  	Charlotte Lynn Carp, Ph.D., BCBA-D Program Director, M.Ed. in Special Populations and Undergraduate Program Clinical Assistant Professor and Search Committee Chair, Special Populations Research/Teaching Interests: My teaching and research focuses on behavioral interventions for learners with disabilities. I teach undergraduate and graduate classes on how to implement and use Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in the educational setting and in the clinical ABA setting. Specifically, my research focuses on ways to make language interventions more effective and efficient. I evaluate different prompting procedures to teach listener behavior, as well as some translational research on stimulus equivalence. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I grew up in the Houston area, so Houston just feels like home to me. I love how diverse the city is, and all the opportunities that come along with that diversity. I can drive west and be in the country, or I can drive east and be in the city. I love the amazing people and how we all come together to support our sports teams. On game days I always see tons of Astros, Texans or Rockets shirts, which makes me grateful and reminds me of how we all pull together and support our community. As for UH, the main thing I love is the people! I love getting to know the students, as well as working with all the faculty. I am very thankful to be at UH!
  	Dave A. Louis, Ph.D. Program Director, Ph.D. in Higher Education Associate Professor and Search Committee Chair, Higher Education Research/Teaching Interests: My research agenda is rooted in the experiences of Black faculty within the academy, specifically individuals identifying as African American and Afro-Caribbean. The ultimate purpose of my work is to inspire critical thinking of our lived experiences and inform positive change in policy and practice. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? Interacting with diverse populations, both on and off campus, is amazingly invigorating to me. Learning from my surroundings, the people and their ideas becomes an intellectual crucible for me. The focus, research and dedication at UH is unrivaled. Both UH and Houston are spaces where you can express yourself and be as authentic as possible, academically and socially.
  	Virginia Snodgrass Rangel, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Search Committee Chair, K-12 Leadership Research/Teaching Interests: In my research, I focus on two areas. First, I investigate principal preparation with a focus on the role of the internship in aspiring leaders’ development. Second, I study STEM career development among underserved students with a focus on the role of mentoring and on students’ beliefs. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I have lived in Houston for 12 years and have been at the University of Houston for eight years. I love that there is so much to do, particularly with kids. I spend lots of time with my two kids at the zoo, the arboretum, the museums and at Memorial Park. We also love being close to the beach in Galveston. UH has been an incredible place to grow as a scholar. I have always felt supported to pursue my research interests and have developed really great collaborations across the university.

• Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences

  	Nathan Grant Smith, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences   Professor, Counseling Psychology Research/Teaching Interests: I am affiliated with the Counseling Psychology doctoral program and direct the CORE (COping & REsilience) Research Team. I conduct research on health disparities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer adults. My research focuses on the impact of minority stress on mental and behavioral health outcomes of LGBTQ persons, particularly outcomes such as sexual health, substance use and mental health. I am interested in identifying intervenable factors that can promote health and well-being, and my research includes the development of interventions to increase resilience.   What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? Houston is a vibrant city with a diverse population. As such, there are endless opportunities for great food, art and entertainment. New vegan restaurants and dog-friendly bars are opening all the time — two of my favorite things! Like Houston, UH serves diverse students, faculty and staff. I appreciate being able to live and work in a culturally diverse environment. Moreover, I value the College of Education’s shared commitment to ending health and educational disparities.
  	Virmarie Correa-Fernández, Ph.D. Associate Chair, Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences Associate Professor, Health (primary)/Counseling Psychology (secondary)  Research/Teaching Interests: My research and scholarship focus heavily on two main areas: understanding psychosocial determinants of tobacco dependence and cessation outcomes; and developing and testing behavioral interventions that are culturally relevant for Latinx who smoke. I have a particular interest in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and its applicability to smoking cessation and the comorbidity of tobacco dependence and affective disorders. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I definitely enjoy the cultural diversity of Houston as evidenced by its people, culinary options and arts/festivals/music. I like the access to a variety of well-maintained parks, the possibility of enjoying activities outdoors, as well as the relative proximity to other cities/towns of interest. UH is a microcosm of Houston in terms of cultural diversity and I enjoy the environment it creates. I also value UH leadership and its constant goals of being a top tier university and serving the local community.
  	Erica Jordan, Ph.D. Assistant Chair for Student Success, Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences Clinical Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences Research/Teaching Interests: I am passionate about undergraduate education and feel privileged to empower students with the ability to critically evaluate claims that are so readily presented to them about families in society. My specific teaching interests include courses that expand students’ understanding about the many internal and external factors that can influence family dynamics and courses that expose students to career opportunities within our field. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I was attracted to UH because of the diversity of its student body and the diverse cultures represented within Houston. A variety of perspectives is especially enriching for the classroom when discussing families. On a personal note, Houston is also a wonderful place for families to explore, and it has been a great place for my partner and I to explore with our young child. We live in the Museum District and are regularly taking in much of the best that Houston has to offer, including the parks, food and museums. We also enjoy getaways from the two airports and road trips together.
  	Julie Dunsmore, Ph.D. Professor and Search Committee Chair, Human Development and Family Sciences Research/Teaching Interests: My research examines what children learn about emotions from important people in their lives; what patterns of emotional communication promote social and emotional skills, positive relationships with friends and family, and healthy outcomes; and what’s similar or different about all of this across contexts. I enjoy providing research experiences for undergraduates. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? I was drawn to UH because of the commitment to multidisciplinary research aimed at reducing health and educational disparities, inclusive teaching and mentoring to promote student success, and partnership with the local community. There’s so much to appreciate here — the food for sure, so many museums and other cultural experiences, the beach being just a quick drive away, and simply hearing multiple languages while going about daily life.
  	Kara Hurt, Ph.D., LCPC (MT) Clinical Assistant Professor and Search Committee Chair, Counseling Research/Teaching Interests: Clinically, my specialty is perinatal mental health — counseling people through the journey of fertility/infertility, pregnancy and postpartum with an emphasis on filial and attachment-based therapies. My research has focused on counselor professional identity development. I have explored how it develops for counselors-in-training, how it is impacted by the accreditation status of master’s programs, and how it is influenced by specific course curricula and teaching practices. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? UH holds a fantastic reputation for innovative thinking and community engagement. The rich culture and opportunities to make meaningful contributions to my profession and the community are central to my interest in UH.
  	Kayce Solari Williams, Ph.D., MPH Clinical Associate Professor, Health Research/Teaching Interests: Promotion of active lifestyles through daily, intentional movement and positive body image through acceptance and self-care. Also, prevention of obesity and comorbid diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes. I work with women across the lifespan; however, my priority populations are Black and Latina adolescent females in the U.S. and Caribbean. I teach, train and mentor from the perspective of unlocking and maximizing students’ potential while including them as active participants in their learning and growth journey. What do you enjoy about UH and Houston? Houston really is home. I was raised in Houston and Missouri City (a Houston suburb) and although I went away for college and also lived in another state, I was always happy to return home. My family is here and so is my heart.