Research and Evaluation Team

The NCWIT research and evaluation team is comprised of individuals with doctorates in a variety of fields, including education, sociology, communications, and psychology. This team contributes to the NCWIT mission by creating research-based resources to spread awareness and increase motivation for systemic change, by translating existing research into actionable practices, and by conducting original research and evaluation.

Brad McLain, Ph.D.

Dr. Brad McLain is a social scientist interested in the nature and psychology of identity development, learning, and leadership. He is the Director of the Center for STEM Learning at

Catherine Ashcraft, Ph.D.

Catherine Ashcraft is a Senior Research Scientist with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on issues related to

Christopher Lynnly Hovey, Ph.D.

Dr. Christopher Lynnly Hovey is a research scientist for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and a research associate in the Department of Information Science at the

Jamie Huber Ward, Ph.D.

Jamie Huber Ward is a social scientist and project director with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on

Joanne Esch, Ph.D.

As a Senior Research Associate at NCWIT, Joanne Esch supports Workforce Alliance members in using research-based, systemic approaches to build inclusive cultures. Her work focuses on increasing the collective knowledge

Kiersten Ferguson, Ph.D.

S. Kiersten Ferguson is a social scientist for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and a research associate in the College of Engineering & Applied Science at

Lecia Barker, Ph.D.

Lecia Barker is an NCWIT Senior Research Scientist and is an Associate Professor of Information Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder. In this role, she helps to build

Lyn Swackhamer, Ph.D.

Lyn Swackhamer is the Director of Aspirations Evaluation with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research focuses on STEM education

Sarah Blithe, Ph.D.

Dr. Sarah Blithe is a Research Scientist with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research is in in organizational communication,

Sarayu Sundar, Ph.D.

Dr. Sarayu Sundar serves as a Higher Education Research Associate with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. In this role, Dr.

Sharmaine Jackson, Ph.D.

Sharmaine Jackson serves as the Racial Equity Director at the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. In her role, she spearheads the

Sherri L. Sanders, Ph.D.

Sherri Sanders serves as the Director of Higher Education Initiatives and BridgeUP STEM and a Senior Research Associate with the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the

Tim Faiella

Tim Faiella is the Content Director for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) at the University of Colorado Boulder. He works to develop a variety of content across

Valerie Williams, Ph.D.

Valerie L. Williams, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist and Evaluator at the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), where she leads and supports evaluation efforts throughout the

Wendy Chi

Dr. Wendy Chi is the internal evaluator for NCWIT Counselors for Computing (C4C). She has over 15 years of experience in education, including evaluations of programs addressing underrepresented populations in

Wendy DuBow, Ph.D.

Wendy DuBow is a Senior Research Scientist and the Director of Strategies for Education Research & Evaluation at NCWIT. In her multi-faceted role, Dr. DuBow conducts primary research, manages the