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

Ashlee Lewis, Ph.D.
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
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

Xumei Fan, Ph.D.
Research Associate
fan9@mailbox.sc.edu
803-777-3459
Terminal Degree: Ph.D. in Educational Research and Measurement, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Teacher Professional Development, Classroom Assessment, Quasi-experimental Design,
Cognitive Learning Strategies

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

Lauren Zollars
Completed Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, Public Relations; Master of Education in
Educational Leadership, Higher Education
Research Assistants

Bradley Brazell
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, Ph.D. in Educational FoundationsResearch Interests:
History of K-12 Education, Education Policy, Constructivist Theory

Sommer Garrett
Current Degree Program: Enrolled, PhD 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

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.