Research Affiliates
Paris Gappmayr
Paris Gappmayr is a PhD candidate in the Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences program studying sign language perception and acquisition. She is affiliated with the Wheelock Deaf Center through her work as a research assistant in the Language Acquisition & Visual Attention (LAVA) Lab and is mentored by Dr. Amy Lieberman. Paris’ dissertation investigates the […]
Amanda Gundlach
Amanda Gundlach is a research scientist at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. In this role, she supports researchers in creating and implementing early elementary reading curriculum to better meet the needs of struggling readers. Before coming to BU Wheelock, Ms. Gundlach was an elementary school teacher for 10 years. Pronouns: she/her
Laura Hawkinson
Dr. Laura Hawkinson, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Scientist and Deputy Director of the Center on the Ecology of Early Development (CEED) at Boston University. Dr. Hawkinson has over 20 years of experience conducting applied research and is a nationally recognized expert in early childhood systems. Her work focuses on the child care workforce, measurement […]
Destiny Ho
Destiny Ho is a research fellow at the Center on the Ecology of Early Development (CEED) at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. At CEED, she works on the Reimagining Childcare Study and serves as the RISER Network coordinator. Before joining CEED, Ms. Ho worked as a graduate research assistant to Dr. […]
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a postdoctoral associate in the Educational Leadership & Policy Studies department at Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Working in collaboration with Dr. Jerry Whitmore, Dr. Johnson conducts research on higher education financial aid and student loan forgiveness policies. Andrew also serves as an affiliate researcher with the Wheelock […]
Kristin Kane
Kristin Kane is a senior research scientist with the National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL) at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Ms. Kane has dedicated the last 12 years to advocacy and awareness, with a focus on family engagement and the intersection of public school, special education, and dyslexia. This includes […]
Ummul-Kiram Kathawalla
Dr. Ummul-Kiram Kathawalla is a postdoctoral research associate in the Counseling Psychology & Applied Human Development Department at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Dr. Kathawalla teaches courses for PhD students in counseling psychology. She also conducts research on how discrimination, life stress, and sociocultural contexts contribute to the development and persistence […]
Kaj Kraus
Dr. Kaj Kraus is a postdoctoral associate in the Deaf Center at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. He studies how language and cognitive development are shaped by perceptual experience, language input, and modality. His current work spans three projects that investigate: 1) how early language skills relate to later language […]
Jennifer Lillis
Dr. Jennifer Lillis is a research scientist at the Wheelock Education Policy Center at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. In this role, she investigates the roles and working conditions of special educators, aiming to improve support systems and instructional quality. Her research also focuses on enhancing college and career readiness, and […]
Olivia Martin
As a research analyst at WEPC, Olivia Martin conducts rigorous data analysis to answer quantitative research questions that inform the policy decisions of WEPC’s partner organizations. Before joining WEPC, Ms. Martin worked as a litigation consulting analyst. She also previously worked as a research assistant at the Center for Economics of Human Development, where she […]