POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW: Designing Girl Affirming STEAM Learning Ecosystems - Northwestern University

We seek a full-time, 2-year postdoctoral researcher to help lead a longitudinal study of middle school youth (5th-8th grade) to understand local STEAM participation patterns in in-school courses and afterschool clubs. Working with Dr. Nichole Pinkard (Northwestern PI), Dr. Sheena Erete, and Dr. Denise Nacu (DePaul University), the postdoc will lead the data collection and analysis for an NSF-funded ITEST project, where we focus on developing Girl Affirming STEAM learning ecosystems in the Cities of Evanston and Chicago. The postdoc will focus on developing and researching both the Digital Youth Divas City Collective, a collaboration of youth programming across the city that will use the framework created by the research team to create inclusive programming and environments that are welcoming to girls of color, and the Digital Youth Divas Caring Adult Network, an association that supports parent and caring adults’ engagement in their children’s STEM interest development. Roles and responsibilities for the postdoc include:

Research and Design

Leading a mix-method data collection strategy including but not limited to: site observations, interviews with youth, parents, and other community stakeholders (organizations, mentors, program leaders), design workshops with parents and organizations, and student participation and log data from the online learning system; contributing to team conversations regarding the design and analysis of the project’s research questions; helping to develop a framework of learning support roles; creation of a framework for creating girl-affirming STEM environments;  communicating findings via written academic articles, writing shorter blogs magazines, presenting internally to the DYN team and at local, national and international conferences.

Project Leadership

Participate as a member of the Digital Youth Network in the EvanSTEM network  and CS4All CPS Network representing the Digital Youth Divas project; hosting weekly PD for Northwestern Digital Divas Mentors; managing research assistants to help with the data collection and analysis; scheduling and leading weekly research meetings, including creating meeting agendas; organizing research data including archiving project activities for grant reporting and for the external evaluator; leading and organizing collaborative research efforts including creating and tracking the team’s overall schedule for implementation, data collection, analysis, and writing.

The principal investigators will encourage the postdoctoral scholar to develop publications that build on their emerging research agenda.  The postdoctoral scholar must be able and willing to travel to research sites; work both individually and as part of a multi-partner team; and provide supervision to undergraduate and graduate research assistants.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants should have an earned doctorate in learning sciences, sociology, information sciences, or a related area of research; evidence of both strong qualitative and quantitative analysis skills; strong written and verbal communication skills; background/understanding of technology systems; experience with the IRB process and IRB certification (or willing to become certified); interest in education and learning technologies.

The position carries a competitive salary plus health insurance coverage and has the possibility of renewal, conditional upon performance and available funding. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

To apply please send a cover letter, CV, and two representative publications to: nichole.pinkard@northwestern.edu. Please put: “DYN Postdoc” in the subject line.

Northwestern University is located in an attractive lakefront community adjacent to Chicago. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.