Research, Evaluation and Measurement Center
Our Team
Our team currently includes three research faculty members, a number of administrative
and research support staff, along with affiliated faculty from several University
departments and research assistants. Our research assistants are graduate students,
mostly advanced doctoral students, from a range of University departments and programs.
Faculty
Tammiee Dickenson, Ph.D.
Director, Research Professor
tsdicken@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-3402
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Research and Measurement, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Multilevel modeling, Quasi-experimental Designs, Item Response Theory, Program Evaluation
Leigh Kale D'Amico, Ed.D.
Research Associate Professor
damico@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-8072
Terminal Degree: Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Early Childhood Education, Student Assessment, and Utilization-Focused Evaluation
Mihaela Ene, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
ene@email.sc.edu
803-777-7416
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Latent Variable Modeling, Multilevel Modeling, Program Evaluation, Survey Development,
and Classroom Assessment
Elizabeth Leighton, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
leightoe@email.sc.edu
803-777-0316
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Program evaluation, survey development, school climate, applications of latent variable
modeling
Ashlee Lewis, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Research Associate Professor
lewisaa2@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-5090
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: : Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Utilization-focused Evaluation, Qualitative Methodologies
in Evaluation, Performance Assessment in the Arts, and Arts Education Research
Staff
James E. Johnson
Grants Manager
JEJ3@email.sc.edu
803-777-1246
Completed Degrees: Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice; Master of Business Administration
Research Associates
Kathleen Arrasmith, Ph.D.
Research Associate
arrasmik@email.sc.edu
803-777-7179
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Music Education, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Arts Assessment, Creativity, Early Childhood Music Development, Improvisation, Music
Literacy, Play
Dawn Coleman, Ph.D.
Research Associate
dawnrc@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-2335
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Research, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Community College Reform, College Readiness, Developmental Education, Mixed Methods
Evaluation and Research, Data Visualization and Reporting, Teaching Program Evaluation,
Implementation Research
Jennifer Crooks-Monastra, Ph.D.
Research Associate
crooksj@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-9918
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Mathematics Education, Undergraduate Education, Teacher Preparation, Utilization-Focused
Evaluation
Jungsun “Sun” Go, Ph.D.
goj@email.sc.edu
803-777-7416
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Structural Equation Modeling, Survey Development, Program Evaluation, and Classroom
Assessment.
Theresa Harrison, Ph.D.
harri642@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-3384
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Foundations and Inquiry, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: University-Community partnerships, P-16 and P-20 initiatives, Critical Race Studies,
Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Qualitative Methodologies in Evaluation
Bryanna Montpeirous, Ph.D.
Research Associate
bnelson@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-3384
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Foundations, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: College Readiness, Special Education, Disability Critical Race Studies, Teacher Induction,
Teacher Development Continuum, Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Utilization-focused
Evaluation, Data Visualization and Reporting
Dalisha Shingler, Ph.D.
Research Associate
willi735@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-3384
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Foundations of Education, Univresity of South Carolina
Research Interests: Culturally Responsive Evaluation, Utilization-Focused Evaluation, Qualitative Methodologies
in Evaluation
Hall West, Ph.D.
Research Associate
wesths@email.sc.edu
803-777-7140
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Child Growth and Development in the Context
of Poverty, Qualitative Research, Mixed-Methods Research, Classroom and Student Assessments
Research Assistants
Ye Bai
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, DMA in Piano Performance
Research Interests: Music Education, Performance Assessment, and Piano Learning
Ruhina Dawood
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research
Research Interests: STEM Education, Psychometrics and Standardized Tests, Gender Equality
and International Education, and Early Childhood Education
Andrew Dennis
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Educational Psychology
Research Interests: Teaching Working Conditions and Teacher Motivation, Teacher Working
Conditions and Teacher Efficacy, and Social Emotional Learning in Middle School Students
Sommer Garrett
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Counseling Supervision and Education
Research Interests: Trauma related treatment, cultural humility, cross-cultural counseling,
early childhood development factors, and resiliency factors
Rachel Garrison
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. Special Education - Special Education Leadership
track.
Research Interests: K-12 Education, special education, inclusion, education law and
policy
Tessa Newson
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, MA in Counseling and Rehabilitation
Research Interests: Social Psychology, Human Growth and Development, and Environmental
Sociology
Amita Verma
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration
Research Interests: Value of Higher Education and Evolution of the Concept of Value;
Impact of Global Experiences During College on Student Outcomes, Perspectives, Choices,
and Civic & Global Engagement; Factors Impacting Retention and Success of Undergraduate
Students in STEM Disciplines in Public Universities with Quota Based Admissions Systems.
Joshua Watts
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Educational Foundations
Research Interests: Environmental Education, Outdoor Education, Indigenous Education,
Critical Pedagogy, Teacher Working Conditions, Teacher Activism
Xiaobo “Linda” Wei
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Research, University
of South Carolina.
Research Interests: Motivation in classroom learning, gifted assessment.
Tiejun Zhang
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Educational Research & Measurement, University
of South Carolina
Research interests:Program Evaluation, Latent Variable Analysis.