Category Archives: Faculty

Communicative Disorders & Sciences Department Awarded $333k Grant

Congratulations to our Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, who earned a $333,000 grant from the CSU Chancellor’s Office earlier this year!  This grant couldn’t have come at a better time as there are so many priorities that have arisen in recent months in response to shortages of speech-language pathologists and audiologists, the impact of COVID-19, and ongoing acts of racial injustice.  We spoke with Department Chair Nidhi Mahendra to learn more about the grant and the impact it will have on the Communicative Disorders & Sciences program and beyond – listen to or read through the interview with Dr. Mahendra below.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences CSU Grant

“COVID has really upended the way we trained and did clinical practica for our students in the graduate and undergraduate programs, and having this pot of money has allowed us to very quickly move to spending on student memberships in a simulation platform and look at how we might use this as a resource to look at online platforms for clinical observation and telepractice resources.”

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Lurie College Faculty Receives SRCD Grant

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Department Faculty Robert Marx

Congratulations to Child & Adolescent Development faculty Robert Marx, who recently received a Society for Research in Child Development Grant for his proposal “The Trans Resilience Project: Understanding Trans Youth Resilience in Communities of Color”

The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) recognizes the importance of capacity building for early career scholars seeking to establish their research programs, especially considering the limited funding available for conducting exploratory work and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Small Grants Program for Early Career Scholars addresses this need within developmental science by supporting pilot or small-scale research projects proposed by members who completed their doctoral degree within the last five years.

Research Feature | Kim Tsai and the Lurie College “TsaiKicks”

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Faculty Kim Tsai Research Team

An overwhelming majority of adolescents in the U.S. receive insufficient sleep which has significant repercussions on their cognitive functioning, psychological well-being and physical health.  Relative to the increasing knowledge on the importance of sleep for healthy development, less is understood about contextual factors that promote optimal sleep.  As such, the overarching goal of this study was to investigate how family dynamics affect adolescent sleep.  Restful sleep is facilitated by perceptions of physical and emotional security and given that the family is a primary context in which important feelings of emotional safety are nurtured, it is critical to better understand how features of the family context shape adolescent sleep.

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Lurie College Faculty Receive Award to Establish Regional Research Hub

 

CCAG-CCREE for Immediate Release
From the SJSU Center for Collaborative Research Excellence in Education (CCREE)

San Jose State University selected as CSU Regional Hub for Northern California to support the educational needs of Youth in Foster Care (FY) and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (HY) in California.

Faculty from the Connie L. Lurie College of Education at San Jose State University have launched a major research and training initiative to address the educational needs of California’s Youth in Foster Care (FY) and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (HY) with the Center for Collaborative Research Excellence in Education (CCREE).  

Funded by an initial $300,000 sub-award from Center for Closing the Achievement Gaps, a project sponsored by the CSU Chancellor’s Office and administered by CSU Long Beach, CCREE will be the CSU Regional Hub for Northern California. 

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SJSU Faculty Members Receive $1.69M NSF Grant Award

Congratulations to Lurie College Department of Teacher Education faculty Tammie Visintainer and Associate Dean Marcos Pizarro, who are part of a team of faculty across SJSU who secured a $1.69 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation for their proposal “Transforming Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Through Culturally Sustaining, Active and Asset-Based Approaches to Introductory Science Courses,” which aims to increase diversity, inclusion and retention in STEM!  Read the full story on the SJSU Newsroom website at https://go.sjsu.edu/2PlWosg

Photo: David Schmitz

Lurie College Dean Discusses Digital Divide in Education with NBC Bay Area

The transition to a remote teaching, learning, and working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic has shined a spotlight on the ongoing inequities in education when it comes to students having access to equitable learning opportunities and the resources required to support those learning opportunities.  NBC Bay Area recently interviewed Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer to gather her insights on this – watch the video of the story below and read the full story at on the NBC Bay Area website.

Lurie College Faculty Featured on KPIX with Back to School Insights

With the vast majority of K-12 schools beginning the upcoming academic school year in a remote teaching and learning environment, KPIX reached out to Child & Adolescent Development Chair Emily Slusser for some expert insights on how parents can best support their children with the adjustment.  Watch the interviews below and read the full stories at kpix.com/learn

New Lurie College Course: Social Media & Social Issues

SJSU Lurie College of Education faculty Ellen Middaugh and Mark Felton have organized a new experimental undergraduate course – “Social Media & Social Issues” – at SJSU for the Fall 2020 semester!  The course will take place on Wednesdays from 10:30am-11:45am, is open to undergraduates of all majors, and will explore the impact that social media is having on the next generation of voters, activists, and politicians.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Department CHAD 196 Social Media and Social Issues

Lurie College Faculty Edits Issue of Topics in Language Disorders

Congratulations to Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences chair, Nidhi Mahendra, who served as the issue editor of the recently published “Palliative Care and Speech-Language Pathologists: From Training to Practice.” Lurie College student Ashlyn Tadokoro also contributed to the issue. Check it out at https://bit.ly/3hYcl4m

SJSU Lurie College of Education Communicative Disorders and Sciences Department Faculty Nidhi Mahendra

Welcome New Lurie College Faculty Member Megan Cuellar!

Lurie College is excited to welcome its newest faculty member in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, Dr. Megan Cuellar, to join our community beginning in the Fall 2020 semester!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Communicative Disorders and Sciences Faculty Megan Cuellar

Megan Cuellar is excited to join the faculty in the Communicative Disorders and Sciences department at SJSU in the fall of 2020 as an Assistant Professor.  Megan is currently an Associate Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Program at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL where she serves as an instructor in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology for the osteopathic medicine students, dental students, and physician assistant students.  She also researches and teaches coursework in neurological communication disorders with a specific interest in swallowing disorders and motor speech disorders.  Megan’s research aims to use whole EEG neuroimaging techniques to explore the effects of stimulating mirror neurons in order to enhance swallowing and motor speech communication abilities in clinical populations.  She also uses EEG to explore the functional neurophysiology of verb naming abilities in individuals with Aphasia.

Research Spotlight | Social Media and Social Issues

SJSU Lurie College of Education Research Feature Ellen Middaugh, Mark Felton, Henry Fan

Participation in public discourse is critical to the democratic process. It allows us to connect and collaborate with people who agree with our political opinions and it allows us to understand, negotiate or compete with those who disagree with us.  As public discourse moves online to social media, we must understand how this shift changes public discourse and what knowledge and skills are needed for youth to participate as informed, ethical and empowered digital citizens in these settings.

Thanks to the support of the Lurie College Faculty-led Student RSCA award, a research team composed of Dr. Ellen Middaugh (Department of Child and Adolescent Development) and Dr. Mark Felton (Teacher Education) hired SJSU student and Lurie College Ambassador Henry Fan as a lead research assistant for this work.  During the first phase of the project, they worked with Mr. Fan to develop a coding system and sampling strategy for data analysis.  The research team has had a presentation accepted for the annual conference of the Association of Internet Researchers (Middaugh, Felton & Fan, 2020).  They have now begun phase 2, where Mr. Fan has helped train a team of three volunteer research assistants in our coding system.  Mr. Fan also took the lead in scheduling and conducting in-depth interviews with social media participants.

The research team is currently exploring how the source and dialogic purposes of posts impact the amount, type and quality of responses on two topics of public interest (COVID-19 and DACA).  They hope to disseminate their findings via publication during Summer 2020, and also use them to inform an experimental course entitled, Social Media & Social Issues (ChAD 196), to be offered during the Fall 2020 presidential election season.

Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer Selected as Speaker for Education Summit

Shoutout to Lurie College Dean Heather Lattimer, who has been asked to serve as a speaker at the upcoming annual Silicon Valley Leadership Group Education Summit on Fri., Aug. 14!

Framed by COVID-19 and tensions in the wake of George Floyd, with legislators, school administrators, teachers and parents operating – literally – in separate spaces, this year’s convening has become a crucial information-sharing forum.

Interact with key local, state and national decision makers in brief, timely panels, active Q&A, and topic-based networking rooms. Get the latest updates on school reopening straight from school leads. Discover how top CLOs are reimagining Learning and Development to drive equity and fuel corporate success.

Learn more about the summit and register ($50-$110) at svlg.org/event/education-summit/

SJSU Lurie College of Education Dean Heather Lattimer

Welcome New Lurie College Faculty Member Rebecca Cruz!

Lurie College is excited to welcome its newest faculty member in the Department of Special Education, Dr. Rebecca Cruz, to join our community beginning in the Fall 2020 semester!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Special Education Faculty Rebecca Cruz

Rebecca A. Cruz is excited to join the SJSU Department of Special Education! Rebecca earned her PhD in special education from a joint doctoral program between University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and San Francisco State University (SFSU). Her research interests include teacher education and development, critical disability theory, cultural and linguistic diversity, and policy impact on schools. Rebecca studies issues of equity, inclusion, and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Rebecca earned a master’s degree in special education from SFSU and worked in middle and high school settings to develop co-teaching and inclusion models.

Research Spotlight | Queer Educators and Counselors Network

The SJSU Lurie College of Education provides a range of grants to support students in their academic endeavors to become transformative educators, counselors, therapists, and leaders.  As a result, Lurie College faculty Robert Marx and Kyoung Mi Choi were able to collaborate with SJSU students, the SJSU Pride Center and the SJSU International Student and Scholar Services to conduct workshops to increase awareness around the unique challenges and strengths among LGBTQ+ international students.  This initiative has since grown into the Queer Educators and Counselors Network (QECN) – learn more at sjsu.edu/education/qecn.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Faculty Kyoung Mi Choi and Robert Marx

Educators of Impact | Dina Izenstark

With the COVID-19 crisis making it abundantly clear the critical role that educators play in our society, Lurie College is recognizing SJSU Educators of Impact who have made a transformative difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.  Learn more about SJSU faculty Dina Izenstark below.  To nominate an SJSU graduate who is an Educator of Impact, please complete this brief Google form.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Department Faculty Dina Izenstark 2

“Professor Izenstark’s passion for teaching and education is inspiring.  As a professor, she has been a role model on what an approachable, involved, and empathetic professor looks like.  As a first-generation student having a professor that is supportive and builds a school community has helped me succeed.  Thank you, Professor Izenstark!”

Welcome New Lurie College Faculty Member Janet Bang!

Lurie College is excited to welcome its newest faculty member in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development, Dr. Janet Bang, to the community beginning in the Fall 2020 semester!

SJSU Child and Adolescent Development Department Faculty Janet Bang

Janet Bang is excited to be joining the SJSU Child and Adolescent Development department as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2020.  Janet received her PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders from McGill University and spent three years as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University. Her research program is committed to investigating how children learn language from their everyday interactions.  Her work takes a developmental approach and has included families from a variety of diverse backgrounds such as English-, French-, and Spanish-speaking families, as well as families with typically-developing children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Her goal for her research and teaching is to build an understanding of child development that is true to the rich array of individual and cultural differences within and across diverse communities.  She is dedicated to using her research to empower families and educators with new insights into how to support children’s development.

Ask Me Anything – with CD&S Professor, Paul Cascella

This summer, professors from the SJSU Lurie College Departments of Child & Adolescent Development and Communicative Disorders & Sciences will be joining us in conversation and community.  You can learn a little about their background, what inspired them to teach, and ask all of your questions about life at the Lurie College of Education and beyond.  On Tuesday, July 21, at 2pm, chat with Dr. Paul Cascella, Professor in the Department of Communiciative Disorders & Sciences.  Register today to receive a Zoom link for this workshop!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Communicative Disorders and Sciences Department Faculty Paul Cascella

Student Spotlight | Kyah Cobb and Robert Abarca

The SJSU Lurie College of Education provides a range of opportunities to support students in their academic endeavors to become transformative educators, counselors, therapists, and leaders.  We spoke with our Communicative Disorders and Sciences students Kyah Cobb and Robert Abarca, who were able to collaborate with Professor Paul Cascella on a research project that explores communication supports for elders dually diagnosed with intellectual disability and dementia.  Listen to their insights in the podcast below!

The project has two focus areas: 1) a systematic review of the literature, and 2) the development of a new rating scale identifying positive communication supports for people with dual diagnoses. To date, the systematic review has surveyed and analyzed contemporary peer-reviewed academic journal articles, doctoral dissertations, professional organizations’ webpages, and professional blogs. Initial results suggest two findings. First, there is a gap in literature
describing communication supports for people with dual diagnoses versus people with dementia. Second, dementia-alone recommendations are rarely applied to people with a dual diagnoses. To date, a draft of the new rating scale is in the pilot-phase of verifying its reliability and validity.

SJSU Lurie College of Education Communicative Disorders and Sciences Students Kyah Cobb and Robby Abarca

“The whole research project is about the connection between intellectual disabilities and dementia.  What we have been looking into focuses on aspects of Down syndrome and the correlation in communication strategies for those who are also dual diagnosed with dementia.”

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Ask Me Anything – with ChAD Professor, Robert Marx

This summer, professors from the SJSU Lurie College Departments of Child & Adolescent Development and Communicative Disorders & Sciences will be joining us in conversation and community.  You can learn a little about their background, what inspired them to teach, and ask all of your questions about life at the Lurie College of Education and beyond.  On Wednesday, July 15, at 2pm, chat with Dr. Robert Marx, Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development.  Register today to receive a Zoom link for this workshop!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Child and Adolescent Development Department Faculty Robert Marx

Student Spotlight | Joanna Gaeta and Samuel Bland

The SJSU Lurie College of Education provides a range of opportunities to support students in their academic endeavors to become transformative educators, counselors, therapists, and leaders.  We spoke with our Special Education Department graduate students Joanna Gaeta and Samuel Bland, who were able to collaborate with Assistant Professor Saili Kulkarni on a research project that examines beliefs about disability and race among special education teachers of color.  Listen to Joanna and Samuel’s insights below!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Special Education Department Students Joanna Gaeta and Samuel Bland

“We are currently working on studying special education teachers of color and what their beliefs are about disability and race.  We’re trying to see how do teachers position themselves to help out our students when we see disparities – whether it’s behavioral issues or academic issues within the school setting – and then how we as the special education teachers contend with that on the education front.”

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Welcome New Lurie College Faculty Member Aubrey Uresti!

Lurie College is excited to welcome its newest faculty member in the Department of Counselor Education, Dr. Aubrey Uresti, to the community beginning in the Fall 2020 semester!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Counselor Education Department Faculty Aubrey Uresti

Dr. Aubrey Uresti earned her Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Learning and Mind Sciences from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Uresti is currently a lecturer in the Department of Human Ecology at UC Davis. Aubrey is also an instructor in the College Admissions and Career Planning certificate program at UC Berkeley Extension. A California credentialed K-12 school counselor (PPS-SC) and a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC), Dr. Uresti has experience in all levels of K-12 education as a teacher, school counselor, therapist, supervisor, and consultant. She is a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) and a National Certified Counselor (NCC). Her dissertation focused on the individual, family, and extended family-level experiences of adolescents who have a parent in jail or prison, as well as their meaning-making processes regarding parental incarceration. Additional research interests include urban education and school counseling, school-based support, grief and loss, peer victimization, child and adolescent development issues, and lifelong learning for counselors.

Congratulations to our Lurie College Strategic Plan Grant Recipients

During the Spring 2020 semester, the SJSU Lurie College of Education adopted a new 3-year strategic plan after over a year of conversations, deliberations, and reflections among faculty, students, and staff.  The strategic plan focuses on 4 priority areas – community engaged, interdisciplinary, culturally sustaining, and holistic.  Faculty, staff, and students were then able to apply for grant funding for projects that aligned with these priority areas.  Congratulations to all of our teams who were awarded funding for the following projects for the 2020-2021 academic year!

SJSU Lurie College of Education Faculty and Staff Group Photo 8x10

“Creating an Inclusive Climate: Queering Our Classrooms and Our Campus”

If you’re hoping to make your class, office, or programming more accessible for and supportive of your queer and trans students and coworkers, be on the lookout for upcoming training sessions and a professional learning community supported by the Strategic Plan Seed Grant. “Creating an Inclusive Climate: Queering Our Classrooms and Our Campus” represents a partnership between the Lurie College of Education and The LGBT Youth Space to offer introductory and advanced trainings at the department and college level around topics like pronouns and vocabulary terms, the hidden curriculum in our classes, and creating opportunities for authentic self-expression. We will also be hosting a Professional Learning Community for faculty and staff who want to more deeply engage in the work of transforming their corner of the campus into a queer-affirming space. For more information, please contact Dr. Robert Marx at robert.marx@sjsu.edu.

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SJSU Early Childhood Student-Alumni Network (ESAN) & Summer Film Series

The purpose of ESAN is to create an interdisciplinary group of current pre-service San Jose State University students and alumni working in the Early Childhood field and engage students in the Early Childhood Institute’s mission of supporting each and every child from the start. In this video, Lurie College student / ESAN President Julia Doan and Lurie College faculty / ESAN Advisor Andrea Golloher discuss their organization and their Lurie College Summer Film Series discussion.

ESAN is also hosting a discussion about The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation on Wed., Jul. 1, 5pm.  To receive to join the discussion, register via this Google form.  To get connected with ESAN, email esansjsu@gmail.com.

For more information about the Early Childhood Institute, visit sjsu.edu/education/eci. For more information about the Lurie College Student Organizations, visit sjsu.edu/education/organizations.