My approach to research is human-centered and focuses on making actionable changes to improve the human experience. If you are interested in learning more about my philosophy, you can listen to this Qualitative Conversations podcast I did or read this blog post I co-wrote for the American Educational Research Association.
Connected Construction Innovation
In order to develop an innovative product to better connect the construction industry, I have led the research efforts in understanding the needs, pain points, and opportunities in the construction industry. I surveyed over 4,400 and interviewed 85+ professionals in the construction industry. I have analyzed the data by using a variety of qualitative coding methods and descriptive statistics through NVivo, Dovetail, and Google Sheets. Recommended capabilities and considerations for the user experience design were made to executive leadership, product managers, engineers, and UX designers.
Learning Spaces Project
The Learning Spaces Project is an exploratory study to understand the faculty and student experience with the classroom spaces and technology on the CU Boulder campus. I led the assessment including conducting classroom observations, contextual inquiries with faculty, a student survey, and analyzing secondary data sources. We took a case study approach to the analysis, and used Values, Descriptive, and Versus coding through the NVivo qualitative analysis software. The outcome was recommendations on technology upgrades and classroom space design to the Learning Spaces Technology team. Other themes that emerged included the further need to study device access and digital literacy with students on campus.
Classroom Capture User Engagement
The purpose of the Classroom Capture User Engagement project was to see how the lecture capture technology on campus was being used by students and faculty. Our team distributed a survey, conducted interviews, and mapped business processes. I analyzed the data that was then used to develop the personas that can be viewed on the project page.
Spectrum Living Learning Community
Conducted a quality improvement study on the Spectrum Living Learning Community (LLC) at the CU Boulder campus. Conducted a focus group with residents to asses their experience and what they would like to see in their LLC. Recommendations were presented to leadership on integrating more learning about intersectional identities. The findings were also shared with other offices to work on improving the campus culture and educational experience for LGBTQIA+ students on campus. This was one o fly favorite projects to work on. It was such a honor to sit along side these students and hear about their experience so that we could make college a better experience for them.
Residence Hall Move-In and Move-Out Surveys
Partnered with 8 Housing & Dining units to design and distribute a surveys to over 6,000 first-year students on campus. These surveys covered residence hall satisfaction, study habits, and sense of belonging. Along with my team, I analyzed data and presented reports to the units so they could continually improve their services by responding to student needs.
Critical Policy Analysis of the Colorado Shines Family Partnership Component
My dissertation research was a partnership with Qualistar Colorado to explore the extent to which the family partnership component of Colorado Shines aligned with the values, needs, and beliefs of families of color living in poverty. I interviewed 16 families in the Sun Valley neighborhood who had preschool-aged children. After using Values and Descriptive coding via the Dedoose data analysis program, I presented recommendations to Qualistar Colorado on ways to make the family partnership standards more culturally responsive and inclusive.
