School of Education and Social Policy

Brayboy to Deliver AERA Distinguished Lecture Bryan McKinley Jones Brayboy, dean of Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy, will present the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Distinguished Lecture, one of the signature events of the 2026 Annual Meeting. The conference, centered around remembering history and rethinking the future vision of education research, will be held April 8-12, in Los Angeles.

Dean Bryan Brayboy will present the American Educational Research Association's Distinguished Lecture, one of the signature events of the 2026 Annual Meeting from April 8 to 12 in Los Angeles.

Claudia Haase, Bryan Brayboy, Sepehr Vakil

Emma Adam

Lucia Noriega Blondet

Sanad Alshubbak

Our recent half-day conference, “Social and Emotional Well-Being in a Digital World,” brought together Northwestern researchers, students, parents, therapists, and community leaders to examine how digital tools and AI are reshaping emotional health.

➡️ spr.ly/63321hjKTS.

Fitzgerald Wins Academic All-American Honors Northwestern redshirt junior safety Robert Fitzgerald earned College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American honors.

Congrats to Northwestern redshirt junior safety Robert Fitzgerald, who was named First Team Academic All-America by the College Sports Communicators. 🎉 Fitzgerald is studying learning + org change at the School of Education and Social Policy. #Leaders

🏈 Read more: spr.ly/6185hpiGL.

Learning in Places

The National Network of Research-Practice Partnerships in Education highlighted the impact of a School of Education and Social Policy initiative called Learning in Places as part of its annual look at the work of members.

Read more-->spr.ly/6187hOBYS.

Juniper Shelley

Junior Juniper Shelley is the 2026 winner of Northwestern's $10,000 Circumnavigators Travel-Study Grant! This summer, she'll study the emotional lives of men in five countries — Mexico 🇲🇽, South Africa 🇿🇦, Sweden 🇸🇪, Japan 🇯🇵, and Australia 🇦🇺.

Read more! spr.ly/6180hMFzs.

Keya Chaudhuri

Symone Harris

Congrats to School of Education and Social Policy undergraduates Keya Soni Chaudhuri and Symone Harris, who have been named Student Associates at Northwestern's Block Museum! 💜

➡️ spr.ly/63328hBrwe

Winnie

Winnie

Winnie

Winnie

If you missed Winnie's first day of work, stop by to share some #SESPLove with her at the next Therapy Dog Thursday, 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 in the Annenberg lobby. Sporting a purple SESPLove t-shirt, Winnie happily introduced herself to everyone before demanding some belly rubs. #WellbeingWithWinnie

Carrie Tzou

Welcome back Carrie Tzou! An alumna, professor of learning sciences and associate dean, Carrie's career has focused on helping students and educators feel connected to science and place-based learning.

➡️ Read more: spr.ly/63323hBTGB
📸 Eileen Molony Photography

Meet our newest Humand Development and Social Policy PhD students: Beckett Sands, Chernice Mbogori, Darin Fields, and Charlyn Zhang!

Teacher

Baxter Box

📣 Teachers! Tomorrow (Jan. 20) is the last day to sign up for our Feb. 3 workshop, Genotype Meets Phenotype: PTC Tasting in Your Classroom. spr.ly/633257F6m5

➡️ What is the Baxter Center for Science Education? spr.ly/633267F6mg

📸 Valentin Torres

Meet our newest learning sciences doctoral students! 💜

Gary Kosman

Gary Kosman virtual with SESP students

We have some of the most inspiring alumni! In the latest issue of SESP magazine, read how Gary Kosman (BS00) hit the road to raise awareness about the cuts to AmeriCorps. Kosman who built America Learns—a project he started as an undergrad—wants to help the helpers.

➡️ spr.ly/6182CIUM2.

Professors Larry Hedges, Kirabo Jackson, Carol Lee, James Spillane and Beth Tipton were named to the 2025 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings for their work bringing research out of academic journals and into everyday life. 🎉 💜 💜 💜 💜 💜

SESP Dean Bryan Brayboy

SESP Dean Bryan Brayboy, enjoying the always beautiful Evanston weather outside Luna’s Pub and Grill, ponders what to sing for an upcoming karaoke night. 🎤 Any suggestions? Luna's s a brand new space on campus for students—and the public— to connect and enjoy locally-sourced food and drink. 💜

MSSEP group

MSSEP graduate

MSSEP graduates

MSSEP program

Congratulations to the graduates of our Master of Science in Social and Economic Policy program! 💜 🎓

Read more: spr.ly/63323CtdFh

Michelle Yin

Congrats to Professor Michelle Yin, who has been elected to the National Academy of Social Insurance! 💜 🎉

Read more: spr.ly/63323CWHUz.

SESP Magazine cover with Lilah Shapiro and students

The latest issue of SESP magazine includes:
💥 Lilah Shapiro: When belief meets evidence
💥 Gary Kosman's drive to save national service
💥 Emily Lester's lessons in resilience
💥 Kate Danielson helps foster youth reach college.

Full issue: spr.ly/63327Ce23t. 💜

Uri Wilensky

Yidan prize winners and officials

Uri Wilensky being awarded Yidan Prize

"We can’t look the other way. We must empower ourselves to face — and even embrace — the complexity of these times.” -- Professor Uri Wilensky during his 2025 Yidan Prize acceptance speech.

Read more: spr.ly/63328CuRHr.

Kirabo Jackson

SESP economist Kirabo Jackson spoke with Chicago Tonight about the dismantling of the Department of Education.

Read or watch the interview: spr.ly/63321CMMQN
.

MTEPP

MTEPP

MTEPP

MTEPP

Is our new Master's in Technology, People, and Policy program for you? Meet our inaugural cohort: spr.ly/63322702FI

Sign up for tomorrow's info session: noon CT, Dec. 15: spr.ly/63323702FL.

Nicole Turner Lee

Nicole Turner Lee, a instructor with our MS in Technology, People, and Policy Program, was listed as one of Washingtonian Magazine's 2025 Tech Titans!
➡️Next MTEPP info session: Monday, Dec. 15, noon. spr.ly/633217fy8Z
➡️ Tech Titans list: spr.ly/633227fy8w

Megan Redfearn

SESP faculty and staff

SESP staff

SESP faculty and staff

We recently celebrated staffer Megan Redfearn, who is moving into a new role at Northwestern developing leadership development programs across the University. For sixteen years, Megan helped build community among SESP students, faculty, and staff.

MTEPP

MTEPP

MTEPP

MTEPP

Is our new Master's in Technology, People, and Policy program for you? Meet our inaugural cohort: spr.ly/6332170N6L

Sign up for the next info session: noon CT, Dec. 10: spr.ly/6332270N60.

Paula Olszewski-Kubilius

Congrats to Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, professor emerita and former director of Northwestern's Center for Talent Development. She was awarded the Ann F. Isaacs Founder’s Memorial Award from the National Association for Gifted Children. 🎉 💜

🔗 spr.ly/633227NSX6.

Susan Corwith

Susan Corwith, director of Northwestern's Center for Talent Development, was elected to the National Association for Gifted Children Board of Directors + appointed as a U.S. delegate to the World Council for Gifted + Talented Children.

➡️ Info on CTD: spr.ly/633257Nonf

Teacher

Teacher

Teacher

Teacher

We’re excited to continue our longstanding partnership with The Baxter Foundation to strengthen STEM education across the Chicagoland area.

➡️ Learn more: spr.ly/633207F65e

📸 Valentin Torres

David Rapp

After we take in information — whether true or not — it’s nearly impossible to avoid using it, Northwestern University psychologist David Rapp explained during the “Science of Reading: The Podcast.”

➡️ Read more: spr.ly/63321704yL.

MTEPP

MTEPP

MTEPP

MTEPP

Is our new Master's in Technology, People, and Policy program for you? Meet our inaugural cohort: spr.ly/633237I91l

Sign up for the next info session: noon CT, Dec. 5. spr.ly/633247I91m.

Wonder

Sweet-tempered Wonder, our favorite Newfi, joined us for Therapy Dog Thursday last week! Wonder was so, well, wonderful, that she may have found a new career! #WellBeing #WellBecoming #TherapyDogThursday

Cynthia Coburn, Megan Bang, Carol Lee

SESP faculty leadership: Professors Cynthia Coburn, Megan Bang, and Carol Lee coauthored a new Spencer Foundation report urging a rethink of grad education and calling for learning that meets today’s changing classrooms and communities.

➡️ Read the report: spr.ly/633227csDG.