Kylie Anglin

Assistant Professor - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Kylie Anglin teaches graduate courses in research methods and statistics. Her research develops methods for efficiently monitoring program implementation in impact evaluations using natural language processing techniques, as well as methods for improving the causal validity and replicability of impact estimates. Her work has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, Prevention Science, AERA Open, and Evaluation Review. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia where she participated in the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) Pre-doctoral Training Program and received an NAEd/Spencer dissertation fellowship.

Email: kylie.anglin@uconn.edu

Zachary K. Collier

Assistant Professor - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Zachary K. Collier is an expert in causal data mining, with a particular focus on advancing latent variable modeling and propensity score analysis. He is also deeply committed to ensuring that valid conclusions can be drawn from datasets that contain missing values. Dr. Collier’s expertise in both causal data mining and missing data analysis has made him a valuable contributor to a wide range of research projects in fields such as special education and public health. He is the director of the MUDD Lab (Methods for Unstructured and Difficult to use Data).

Email: zachary.collier@uconn.edu

Eric Loken
Associate Professor - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Eric Loken is an associate professor in the Neag School’s RMME program. His interests focus on latent variable models, Bayesian inference, and methods for reproducible science.

Email: eric.loken@uconn.edu

D. Betsy McCoach

Professor - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Betsy McCoach is a professor in the Neag School’s RMME program. She has extensive experience in structural equation modeling, longitudinal data analysis, hierarchical linear modeling, instrument design, and factor analysis. In addition, she is the current Director of the Data Analysis Training Institute of Connecticut (DATIC), where she teaches summer workshops in longitudinal modeling, structural equation modeling, multilevel modeling, and she is the founder and conference chair of the Modern Modeling Methods conference, held at UConn every May.

Email: betsy.mccoach@uconn.edu

Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead

Associate Professor - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead is an associate professor in the Neag School’s RMME program and is the program coordinator for UConn’s Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation. As an evaluation researcher, educator, and practitioner, Montrosse-Moorhead specializes in evaluation theory, methodology, practice, and capacity building.

Email: bianca@uconn.edu

Sarah D. Newton

Associate Director - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Sarah D. Newton is the Associate Director of Online Programs in Research Methods, Measurement, & Evaluation (RMME), as well as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the University of Connecticut’s Department of Educational Psychology. She provides research design, measurement, data collection/management, statistical analysis/modeling, cost analysis, and methodological support for multiple grant-funded research projects at UConn. She also teaches various courses in research methodology and quantitative methods/analysis. She earned her PhD and MA in Educational Psychology (with an RMME concentration) at the University of Connecticut. In addition, she holds an MS in Criminal Justice and a BA in Criminology, with completed course requirements in Psychology, from Central Connecticut State University. Her methodological research interests focus on model/data fit and model adequacy as complementary tools for multilevel model evaluation and selection; information criteria performance in multilevel modeling contexts; latent variable modeling; affective instrument design; reliability/validity theory; and economic evaluation (e.g., cost analysis).

Email: sarah.newton@uconn.edu

Sharon Loza

Adjunct Faculty - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Sharon Loza has worked on multiple state, national, and global education initiatives focused on improving child outcomes, with a focus on children at risk for and with various disabilities. She has led federal, state and privately funded research and evaluation agendas for various programs aimed at improving student achievement. Dr. Loza has held such roles as a statewide Data Manager working with various federal indicators and Research Investigator on a statewide educational needs assessment in North Carolina. In addition, she has served as a Training and Technical Assistance provider to enhance the knowledge, skill and capacity of teachers and administrators to increase their capacity in applying principles of implementation science, social emotional learning, and practice-based coaching to improve student and teacher outcomes. Dr. Loza currently serves as the Branch Head and Part C Director for the North Carolina Early Intervention Program, a Fellow with the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Act Early Ambassador. She brings a wide range of experiences in the practical application of evaluation and research methods to support efforts related to continuous quality improvement, understanding the impact of programs and policy on children’s educational attainment and success. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development with an emphasis in Educational Research and Policy Analysis from North Carolina State University and served as a doctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Email: sharon.loza@uconn.edu

Ismael E. Carreras

Adjunct Faculty - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Ismael Carreras is the Associate Dean for Strategic Analysis within the Faculty of Arts & Sciences at Harvard University. He previously served as Chief Data Strategist and Director at the University of Massachusetts Office of the President. Dr. Carreras has over two decades of applied research and statistical analysis experience for educational and industry clients, with particular interests in data visualization and communication. He has taught graduate level coursework at Boston College and Northern Illinois University in areas such as Introductory Statistics, Intermediate Statistics, Design of Experiments, and Attitude and Opinion Measurement. Dr. Carreras holds an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, as well as a B.A. in Psychology from Bates College.

Email: ismael.carreras@uconn.edu

Avery Newton

Adjunct Faculty - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Avery Newton is a Strategic Data Fellow affiliated with Providence Public Schools and Harvard’s Center for Education Policy Research. In this role, she collaborates to improve data governance, research partnerships, and analytic capacity within the district. Her expertise lies in education research and evaluation, strategic data leadership, and career exploration in K-12 settings. Having worked with over 60 different districts, educational programs, and institutions over the last 10 years, she has a proven track record of rigorous and community-centered impact research. Her work has been published in three books, appears in various education policy / research journals, and has been funded by local and institutional grants as well as the National Institutes of Health [NIH]. Outside of work, she is an active community volunteer, as well as a drummer, hiker, and mother to a fabulous toddler. Dr. Newton holds a B.A. in Education Policy, Sociology, and Theory (a self-designed major) from the College of William and Mary and a Ph.D. in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, & Assessment [MESA] from Boston College.

Email: avery.newton@uconn.edu

Brenna Butler

Adjunct Faculty - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Brenna Butler is an Evaluation Specialist for Penn State Extension, housed within the College of Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Butler’s primary responsibilities include designing, implementing, and analyzing the results of evaluations and assessments for educational programs and grants within Penn State Extension that deliver science-based information to Pennsylvanians. She also coaches Extension faculty and staff on best practices for conducting a wide range of evaluation skills across the evaluation life cycle (e.g., logic model development) to implement into their program development processes for their educational outreach programs. Dr. Butler’s research interests include best practices in data visualization and evaluation report writing for both technical and non-technical audiences. Dr. Butler received her Bachelor of Science from Penn State University in Psychology with a Quantitative Emphasis. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Evaluation, Statistics, and Measurement.

Email: brenna.butler@uconn.edu

Scott Donaldson

Adjunct Faculty - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Scott Donaldson is an Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and a core faculty member of the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies at Rutgers, the State University (“Rutgers”). He completed a Postdoctoral Scholarship in Evaluation, Statistics, and Measurement at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and earned his PhD in Psychology with a concentration in Evaluation and Applied Research Methods from Claremont Graduate University. He received his MS in Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California and his BA in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Donaldson's research leverages quantitative methodologies, such as psychometrics, meta-analysis, data science, and other advanced statistical approaches to research the intersection of digital media and health. He has published in top journals like JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Network Open, and Tobacco Control. Additionally, his research at the intersection of tobacco control and social media has garnered national media attention from news and policy outlets, such as the U.S. News & World Report, NBC Los Angeles, and the World & Health Organization. His current research is focused on examining the different ways that corporations influence adolescent health, including identifying sources of exposure to tobacco marketing among adolescents and young adults.

Email: scott.donaldson@uconn.edu

Janice Kooken

Adjunct Faculty - Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation program

Dr. Janice Kooken holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Queens College of the City University of New York, a M.S in Mathematics from University of Illinois – Chicago, and a PhD from University of Connecticut in Measurement, Evaluation, and Assessment. Her dissertation, entitled “Modeling Heterogeneity in Growth Mixture Models: A Case Study of Model Selection Using Direct Behavior Rating”, used data from the Viable II grant to study the effect of  levels of parameter invariance in growth mixture modeling. Dr. Kooken has worked as an actuary, a consumer packaged goods marketing research statistician, and as a high school, community college and university teacher.  She became interested in educational (and in particular) public school assessment data analysis while working for RISE Network in Connecticut as a strategic data fellow. Her research interests are varied, and she especially enjoys interdisciplinary projects including a recent one combining system dynamics and structural equation modeling to study how emotions affect student achievement in mathematics. Dr. Kooken continues to collaborate on projects related to the Mathematics Resilience Scale that she developed and published as a graduate student at UConn. She has taught quite a few courses in quantitative research, both online and in person. Although Dr. Kooken is a Connecticut resident, she currently works remotely 100% of the time. Her passion is to connect personally with her online students and to support graduate students through their dissertations. Currently, Dr. Kooken is a dissertation chair at Grand Canyon University and Liberty University. She also serves on the committee for a student who is studying wargaming for the Department of Defense.

Email: janice.kooken@uconn.edu