Researcher Bios:

Mike joined NWEA in 2007 as a research associate after working as a research analyst for the Oregon Department of Human Services. He has also worked as an adjunct and visiting psychology professor at Pacific University. Mike’s recent NWEA work includes extensive research and reporting to examine the effectiveness of the No Child Left Behind Act. His professional affiliations include the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, Society for Research in Child Development, the American Educational Research Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. Mike holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, a M.S. in Psychology from Western Washington University, and a B.A. in Biology from Pomona College.

What do you feel is your greatest professional accomplishment?

I get a lot of satisfaction from the work we do, because our research informs teachers and policymakers, helping them to make decisions and take action to provide better educational opportunities for all kids. But my most memorable accomplishment was flying to Washington, D.C. in February 2009 to brief Secretary Duncan on the findings of our most recent study on the impact of NCLB. Unfortunately, being the least senior team member, I was bumped from the meeting at the last minute. So I visited the Holocaust Museum instead.

If you could live anywhere, where would that be?

I’ve had the good luck to visit about 40 U.S. states and about 13 countries throughout Europe, Asia and North America, but the west coast is my home. If I could live anywhere, it would be in a house with view of the Pacific Ocean, probably somewhere near Seattle.

What intrigues you most about the work you do?

At the Kingsbury Center, our researchers have a range of backgrounds, with expertise in education, measurement and quantitative psychology, and we all bring unique perspectives to our work. For me, the most intriguing aspect of my job is the fact that I am always learning new skills and strategies from my colleagues, along with opportunities to practice those skills as new studies and projects emerge.

What are three of your favorite things to, when you're not working?

When I’m not working, three of my favorite activities are reading to my one-year-old daughter, cooking and bicycling. And if I had any free time, I’d like to do more creative writing, photography and more amateur filmmaking.

What do you feel is the role of education in our society?

Our Declaration of Independence asserts that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are unalienable rights. But there can be no pursuit of happiness without an adequate educational foundation. Logically, therefore, it follows that education is an unalienable human right. I believe that the role of education is to provide all children with the tools they need to grow up to be productive, competitive, happy members of society by providing more than just the bare minimum of literacy and math skills.

Electronic communications technology continues to bring people from around the world closer together. This means that in the future, as society becomes more global, students will have to learn to think and act from a broader global perspective in order to compete. As society evolves, so must our educational system in order to ensure our children’s success.