Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia is a professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education (CEPSE). Her research focuses on the development of achievement motivation and the interplay among motivation, emotions, and learning, primarily in the domains of science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM). The question of student motivation and engagement remains a pressing concern for educators, policy makers, and parents. Indeed, advances in standards and curriculum materials as well as opportunities for broadening participation of all students will not yield their potential benefits if students do not actively engage in learning. Thus, questions surrounding students’ motivation and emotions play a key role in addressing broader societal concerns surrounding equity as well as effective educational practices and policies.

Dr. Linnenbrink-Garcia strives to advance psychological and educational science while also informing educational practice and policy, with a focus on work that builds upon theory development, research, and educational practice. Specifically, her work centers on three primary topics: (1) identifying the mechanisms through which motivation and emotions influence academic engagement and learning, (2) designing learning environments that enhance the development of students’ motivation and subsequent engagement and achievement, and (3) applying a person-oriented perspective to capture the complex interplay among motivational and emotional processes that shape student engagement and learning. Dr. Linnenbrink-Garcia seeks to harness motivational and emotional resources to encourage students’ in-depth engagement, cognitive processing, and learning, with focus on upper-elementary through college populations. She is particularly interested in supporting these processes among students from historically underrepresented groups in STEM fields.

Dr. Linnenbrink-Garcia currently serves as the co-Editor (along with Dr. Jeffrey Greene) of the APA Division 15 journal, Educational Psychologist. She is also a fellow of the American Psychological Association.

Michigan State University College of Education Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia