Bethany A. Bell

Bethany A. Bell is a scholar and educator whose work brings together a passion for teaching, a commitment to equity, and a deep expertise in research methods. She studies how we can use data more effectively to understand and improve health and education outcomes, with a particular focus on advanced quantitative approaches such as multilevel modeling, person-centered analyses, and large-scale national survey data.

At the heart of Professor Bell’s work is a belief that research should be both rigorous and accessible. She has written and edited research methodology books and authored numerous “how-to” articles that help applied researchers, students, and practitioners build confidence in using complex analytic tools. Her work is not only about advancing methods, but also about expanding who feels empowered to use them.

Professor Bell is especially dedicated to mentoring students and involving them meaningfully in the research process. She leads the SPARH Lab (Student-Partnered Applied Research on Health), where students collaborate on projects that address pressing questions related to community health and educational equity. Through this work, she helps students discover their own interests in research while contributing to projects with real-world impact.

Her scholarship and contributions have been recognized nationally through honors from the American Educational Research Association and the National Institutes of Health. She has also received multiple awards for her teaching and mentorship, including the University of Virginia Student Council Jefferson Cup Award, reflecting the strong connections she builds with students both inside and outside the classroom.

Ph.D., University of South Florida, 2008
M.P.H., University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 2002
B.A., Mary Washington College, 1997

Curriculum Vitae