Let's collaborate to improve postsecondary stem student and workforce outcomes.
Let's collaborate to improve postsecondary stem student and workforce outcomes.
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Leadership
Leadership
Director of Faculty Support, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice ChancellorVice Chancellor for Research & Dean of the School of Graduate StudiesAssistant Professor of Higher Education, Educational Leadership Policies and Foundations, School of EducationSherman Family Foundation Endowed Chair, Professor, and Director
Director of Faculty Support, Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Alexis Petri, EdD, University of Missouri-Kansas City, is an educational leader passionate about social justice, inclusion, access, and public policy. Through her research, Alexis bridges theory and practice in an applied way with results poised to make a difference for systems change and access for people of a variety of abilities. Alexis has extensive experience with transition to college and careers for non-traditional students as well as taking leadership roles in building and directing university-wide high-impact learning programs and the campus-community partnerships that are their foundation. Currently, Alexis is director of faculty support for Faculty Affairs in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor and is principal investigator on a grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Education that includes college students with intellectual disabilities at the University. She also has experience as principal investigator, co-principal investigator, and project director for several National Science Foundation grants that sought to broaden participation in STEM for underserved populations.
Alexis Petri, EdD, University of Missouri-Kansas City, is an educational leader passionate about social justice, inclusion, access, and public policy. Through her research, Alexis bridges theory and practice in an applied way with results poised to make a difference for systems change and access for people of a variety of abilities. Alexis has extensive experience with transition to college and careers for non-traditional students as well as taking leadership roles in building and directing university-wide high-impact learning programs and the campus-community partnerships that are their foundation. Currently, Alexis is director of faculty support for Faculty Affairs in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor and is principal investigator on a grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Education that includes college students with intellectual disabilities at the University. She also has experience as principal investigator, co-principal investigator, and project director for several National Science Foundation grants that sought to broaden participation in STEM for underserved populations.
Vice Chancellor for Research & Dean of the School of Graduate Studies
Liu brings more than 20 years of experience in working for public research universities as an educator and chief research officer, and he also served as a program director at the National Science Foundation, based out of the Washington, D.C., area.
Liu brings more than 20 years of experience in working for public research universities as an educator and chief research officer, and he also served as a program director at the National Science Foundation, based out of the Washington, D.C., area.
Assistant Professor of Higher Education, Educational Leadership Policies and Foundations, School of Education
Dr. Tiffani Riggers-Piehl is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Program Coordinator for the Higher Education Masters and Doctorate (EDD) programs. Having previously served across multiple functional areas in academic and student affairs at Baylor (TX), UCLA, and Greenville University (IL), Dr. Riggers-Piehl focuses her efforts to help and understand students in three ways. First, Dr. RP advises doctoral and masters students in their academic and career endeavors, drawing upon her varied experience in higher education administration and faculty development. She also advises the Higher Education Student Association (HESA), a student-led organization that provides professional development and community building for students in the HEA programs. Second, Dr. RP researches the ways that students develop meaning and purpose in college across multiple identity dimensions. While earning her Ph.D. at UCLA, she studied college student spirituality and student-faculty interactions. Her dissertation, “Enhancing Classrooms and Conversations: How Interactions with Faculty Predict Change in Students’ Spirituality in College” identifies ways that faculty can be more involved in students’ meaning-making and spiritual development. Since then she has focused her research on topics including spiritual and moral development, research and teaching, and gender differences in education. Third, Dr. RP teaches future higher education and student affairs professionals using innovative and collaborative pedagogies that help them apply their learning to their professional experience.
Dr. Tiffani Riggers-Piehl is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education and Program Coordinator for the Higher Education Masters and Doctorate (EDD) programs. Having previously served across multiple functional areas in academic and student affairs at Baylor (TX), UCLA, and Greenville University (IL), Dr. Riggers-Piehl focuses her efforts to help and understand students in three ways. First, Dr. RP advises doctoral and masters students in their academic and career endeavors, drawing upon her varied experience in higher education administration and faculty development. She also advises the Higher Education Student Association (HESA), a student-led organization that provides professional development and community building for students in the HEA programs. Second, Dr. RP researches the ways that students develop meaning and purpose in college across multiple identity dimensions. While earning her Ph.D. at UCLA, she studied college student spirituality and student-faculty interactions. Her dissertation, “Enhancing Classrooms and Conversations: How Interactions with Faculty Predict Change in Students’ Spirituality in College” identifies ways that faculty can be more involved in students’ meaning-making and spiritual development. Since then she has focused her research on topics including spiritual and moral development, research and teaching, and gender differences in education. Third, Dr. RP teaches future higher education and student affairs professionals using innovative and collaborative pedagogies that help them apply their learning to their professional experience.
Sherman Family Foundation Endowed Chair, Professor, and Director
For three decades, Eric Camburn has conducted research on school improvement, school leadership, and inequalities in educational opportunity. His research has contributed to the field’s understanding of social inequalities in the secondary and postsecondary outcomes of urban students, and of factors that promote and impede the progress of urban students at key junctures. Early research investigated factors associated with social inequalities in high school course failure and access to postsecondary education. These studies suggested that the inequitable outcomes were due in part to inequitable learning opportunities received by poor and minority students in urban schools. A second thread of his research examined factors that promote the improvement of literacy instruction in high poverty urban elementary schools. Camburn and colleagues found that well-designed programs can promote the adoption of evidence-based literacy instruction practices at scale in historically disadvantaged settings, and that job-embedded learning opportunities and a strategic distribution of leadership can facilitate this adoption. Camburn has worked collaboratively with multiple urban districts to help inform improvement initiatives through research evidence. Between 2006 and 2010 Camburn worked closely with the Milwaukee Public Schools to conduct a district wide teacher survey that helped district leaders understand the quality of instruction and improvement initiatives across the district. Prior to coming to Kansas City, Camburn served as a founding Co-Director of the Madison Education Partnership, a partnership between Wisconsin Center for Education Research and the Madison Metropolitan School District.
For three decades, Eric Camburn has conducted research on school improvement, school leadership, and inequalities in educational opportunity. His research has contributed to the field’s understanding of social inequalities in the secondary and postsecondary outcomes of urban students, and of factors that promote and impede the progress of urban students at key junctures. Early research investigated factors associated with social inequalities in high school course failure and access to postsecondary education. These studies suggested that the inequitable outcomes were due in part to inequitable learning opportunities received by poor and minority students in urban schools. A second thread of his research examined factors that promote the improvement of literacy instruction in high poverty urban elementary schools. Camburn and colleagues found that well-designed programs can promote the adoption of evidence-based literacy instruction practices at scale in historically disadvantaged settings, and that job-embedded learning opportunities and a strategic distribution of leadership can facilitate this adoption. Camburn has worked collaboratively with multiple urban districts to help inform improvement initiatives through research evidence. Between 2006 and 2010 Camburn worked closely with the Milwaukee Public Schools to conduct a district wide teacher survey that helped district leaders understand the quality of instruction and improvement initiatives across the district. Prior to coming to Kansas City, Camburn served as a founding Co-Director of the Madison Education Partnership, a partnership between Wisconsin Center for Education Research and the Madison Metropolitan School District.
Meet the Networked Improvement Communities
Meet the Networked Improvement Communities
ntegrating STEM+KC Nics*:
ntegrating STEM+KC Nics*:
NIC 1: Urban Pre-STEM Programs to Increase Underrepresented STEM Graduates
NIC 1: Urban Pre-STEM Programs to Increase Underrepresented STEM Graduates
NIC Champion: Cory Beard
Focus Area: Student retention
Status: Recruiting interested NIC members
NIC 2: Pathways to Equitable and Accessible Careers in Computing and Engineering (PEACE): Guiding and Supporting Community College Students on their Journey into the Technology Workforce
NIC 2: Pathways to Equitable and Accessible Careers in Computing and Engineering (PEACE): Guiding and Supporting Community College Students on their Journey into the Technology Workforce
NIC Champion: Darrin Cairns
Focus Area: Transfer Students
Status: Recruiting interested NIC members
NIC 3: Strengthening Pathways from High School to 4-yr STEM Degree Attainment: Broadening Student Success
NIC 3: Strengthening Pathways from High School to 4-yr STEM Degree Attainment: Broadening Student Success
NIC Champion: Daniel McIntosh
Focus Area: Student Retention
Status: Recruiting interested NIC members
NIC 4: STEM Regional College Fair
NIC 4: STEM Regional College Fair
NIC Champion: Doug Swink
Focus Area: Increasing Access between HS and College; STEM Postsecondary Learning
Status: Recruiting interested NIC members
*Interested in learning more about the NIC or being a part of a NIC team? Click the name of the NIC Champion to send them an email.
Join the team
Join the team
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