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  2. Fellowships, Scholarships, & Awards
  3. Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) Fellowships

Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) Fellowships

The Virginia Education Sciences Training (VEST) Program prepares students to apply theory and methods from the social sciences to research on schools and classrooms. Program faculty and students strive to improve equity and evidence in education through their work. Since 2004, the VEST Program has received grants from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), to prepare a future generation of education researchers on use of theory and methods that support causal inferences in studies of school, classroom and programs.

The VEST Experience

Consider just a few of these tough questions and problems. How do we prepare teachers to be effective? What are the effects of teacher evaluation on teachers’ performance? How do children’s self-regulatory abilities develop as a function of their home and school experiences? What classroom conditions are needed to best support the need of multilingual students (English Learners)? How do we develop high quality assessments for kindergarten readiness and then implement those statewide? These are just a few examples of the kinds of education science questions and problems that VEST fellows and faculty address.

VEST fellows experience an exciting set of courses, workshops and speakers. Through these experiences, fellows learn a set of rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental methods that help them develop proficiency in designs that allow for causal inference. Further, students increase their exposure and depth in at least one of four areas including teacher quality, early childhood, social and behavioral context for academic learning, and post-secondary and adult education.

 

VEST Workshops and Talks

View available materials and recordings for past VEST events.

Sponsored by the Virginia Education Sciences Training (VEST) Program with support from the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the School of Education and Human Development Dean’s Office. Additional co-sponsors may be noted below.

Upcoming workshops will be listed on the events page. VEST fellows are required to attend.

Past workshops have included:

  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2020
    • Center for Open Science - Open Science: Open and Reproducible Research Practices with the
    • Beth Tipton - Generalizability
    • Allison Atteberry - Grant Writing
  • 2019
    • Andrew Hayes - Statistical Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis
    • Brooks Bowden - Economic Evaluation & Cost-effectiveness Analysis
    • Holly Coy - Writing Policy Memos
  • 2018
    • Craig Enders - Missing Data
    • Audrey Breen - Communicating Your Science
    • R follow-up - Ben Skinner
    • R - Ben Skinner
  • 2017
    • Sarah Reber - Data Visualization
    • Arya Ansari - Person-Centered Methods in Educational Research
  • 2016
    • Susanna Loeb - Value-Added Measures
    • Allison Atteberry - Application of Hierarchical Linear Models in Behavioral and Social Research
    • Kelli Bird - Designing and Implementing Randomized Control Trials in Education Research
  • 2015
    • Andrew F. Hayes - Statistical Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis
    • Julie Cohen and Lia Sandilos - Navigating the Measures of Effective Teaching Data Set
    • James P. Connell - Using Data to Create Common Ground and Inform Decision-Making in Schools & School Districts
  • 2014
    • Dan Martin - R
    • Tracy Sweet, Brian Junker & Andrew Thomas - Social Network Analysis
    • Craig Enders - Missing Data
  • 2013
    • Allison Atteberry - Hierarchical Linear Modeling
    • Elizabeth Tipton - Meta-Analysis
  • 2012
    • Ross Larsen & Tashia Abry - Mediation and Moderation
  • 2011
    • Neil Seftor, Jill Constantine, Jean Knab - What Works Clearinghouse Training
    • Ross Larsen - Missing Data
    • Tom Weisner - Mixed Methods
  • 2010
    • Mark Conaway - Randomized Controlled Trials in Education
  • 2009
    • Kevin Grimm - Power Analysis
    • Andy Mashburn - HLM for Studying School Effects
    • Patrick Meyer - Data Management
  • 2008
    • Kevin Grimm - Introduction to Longitudinal Data Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling
    • Andy Mashburn - Introduction to Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT's) in Education Research
  • 2007
    • Amy Luckner, Sonya Myers, Claire Ponitz - Reviewing Research Articles: The How, What and When to Stop
    • Sara Rimm-Kaufman - Preparing for the Job Market
    • Tim Curby and Lori Nathanson - SPSS Workshop
    • David Grissmer - Exploring and Using the NAEP and ECLS-K Data Sets
  • 2006
    • Jason Downer and Andy Mashburn - Orientation to the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development Data Set
    • Kevin Grimm - Longitudinal Data Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling
    • David Lopez - Program Evaluation in the Context of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Active Learning
  • 2005
    • Andrew Mashburn - Hierarchical Linear Models for Studying School Effects
    • Ryan Bowles - Item Response Theory
    • Emilio Ferrer - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis

VEST fellow are encouraged to attend the Education Policy Seminar Series. Sponsored by the Bankard Foundation and EdPolicyWorks, all upcoming events can be found on the main event page. For recommended readings, questions about the series, or archived event details, please contact [email protected].

VEST Events

All Events

Each semester the VEST program sponsors several speakers and workshops. Explore our upcoming events as well as programming hosted by EdPolicyWorks and other school partners that may be of interest to VEST fellows.

VEST Workshop with Molly Faulkner-Bond

Everyone is an English Learner Researcher: Appreciating the Promise and Complexity of an Overlooked, Understudied Student Population

  • - EDT
  • TBD

No Registration Required

VEST Workshop with Dr. Brendan Bartanen

Revise and Resubmit: Now What?

  • - EDT

No Registration Required

VEST Prepares a New Generation of Education Researchers

We asked four VEST alumni to reflect on their experiences with core aspects of the VEST program.
Video still from the VEST video student talking about their experience in the program
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VEST alumni reflect on their experience

Research-Practice Partnership Experience (RPE)

The Research-Practice Partnership Experience (RPE) is a hallmark characteristic of the VEST fellowship. Too often, we see a gap between the knowledge produced by researchers and the information that policy-makers and educators need to make decisions. As part of the VEST fellowship, students work in partnership with an outside agency (e.g., state department of education, school district, education non-profit) and learn the intricacies of full partnership. Not only do fellows leave the program prepared to conduct rigorous research, the problems they choose and the approaches they take are much more relevant as a result of their training.

Screen grab of VEST coursework video student laughing and sharing their experience
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VEST alumni reflect on their experience

Coursework

Regardless of the methods chosen, VEST students and affiliates learn to apply methods rigorously and carefully.

Video screen grab of a VEST student sharing their experience
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VEST alumni reflect on their experience

Diversity and Equity

Through scholarship, teaching, and partnerships with educational organizations, VEST students and faculty strive to improve equity and evidence in education.

Video still from VEST video of student sharing their experience
Click to play

VEST alumni reflect on their experience

Lectureship Series

VEST typically holds four Education Research Lectureship Series talks each semester, all of which are required for VEST students to attend. Speakers are selected with VEST goals in mind.

VEST Faculty

VEST faculty serve as mentors and co-mentors to our fellows. Four-year fellows in our Ph.D. programs have a primary mentor from the School of Education and Human Development and in their 3rd year, a co-mentor from another discipline. Two-year fellows from other disciplines continue to work with their primary advisor from their home department and work with a School of Education and Human Development co-mentor as well.

Our faculty engage in training experiences that offer extensive expertise including econometric models of teacher quality, the RCT design and analysis, and the design and evaluation of professional development supports for teachers and their effects on student learning.
Allison Atteberry

Allison Atteberry

  • Associate Professor of Education & Public Policy
  • Director, EdPolicyWorks
Brendan Bartanen

Brendan Bartanen

  • Assistant Professor
Daphna Bassok

Daphna Bassok

  • Professor of Education and Public Policy
  • Associate Director, EdPolicyWorks
Catherine Bradshaw

Catherine P. Bradshaw

  • Senior Associate Dean for Research
  • University Professor
Julia Jackson Cohen

Julie Jackson Cohen

  • Charles S. Robb Associate Professor
Nancy L Deutsch

Nancy L. Deutsch

  • Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
  • Linda K. Bunker Professor of Education
  • Director, Youth-Nex
Jason T Downer

Jason T. Downer

  • Professor
  • Director, Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning
Tanya Evans

Tanya Evans

  • Research Assistant Professor
Chris S Hulleman

Chris S. Hulleman

  • Research Professor
Lieny Jeon

Lieny Jeon

  • Jane Batten Bicentennial Associate Professor
Jamie J. Jirout

Jamie J. Jirout

  • Associate Professor
Luke C Miller

Luke C. Miller

  • Research Associate Professor
Natalia Palacios

Natalia Palacios

  • Associate Professor
Robert C Pianta

Robert C. Pianta

  • Batten Bicentennial Professor of Early Childhood Education
Sara Rimm-Kaufman

Sara Rimm-Kaufman

  • Chair, Department of Education Leadership, Foundations and Policy
  • Commonwealth Professor of Education
Josipa Roksa

Josipa Roksa

  • Professor
Beth Schueler

Beth Schueler

  • Assistant Professor
Naila A. Smith

Naila A. Smith

  • Assistant Professor
Jim Soland

Jim Soland

  • Assistant Professor
Sarah Turner

Sarah E. Turner

  • University Professor of Economics & Education
Jessica E Whittaker

Jessica E. Whittaker

  • Research Associate Professor
  • Director of Birth to Eight Initiatives
Amanda P Williford

Amanda P. Williford

  • Batten Bicentennial Professor of Early Childhood Education Associate Director for Early Childhood Education
  • CASTL Clinical Psychologist
Vivian Wong

Vivian Wong

  • Associate Professor
James H Wyckoff

James H. Wyckoff

  • Memorial Professor of Education

VEST Partners

Current VEST Fellows

Andrew Avitabile

Andrew Terence Avitabile

  • Ph.D. Student
Ryan Burke

Ryan Burke

  • Ph.D. Student
Gillian Courtney

Gillian Courtney

  • Ph.D. Student
Kenn Dela Cruz

Kenn Dela Cruz

  • Ph.D. Student
Christine Onyinyechi-Uju Emuka Headshot

Christine Onyinyechi-Uju Emuka

  • Ph.D. Student
Todd Hall headshot

Todd Hall

  • Ph.D. Student
Natalie Hutchins

Natalie Hutchins

  • Ph.D. Student
Lee LeBoeuf

Lee LeBoeuf

  • Ph.D. Student
Liz Nigro headshot

Liz Nigro

  • Ph.D. Student
Elia G. Ramirez

Elia G. Ramirez

  • Ph.D. Student
Erica Sachs headshot

Erica Sachs

  • Ph.D. Student
Dana Sox

Dana Sox

  • Ph.D. Student
Kaela Tidus

Kaela Tidus

  • Ph.D. Student
Allison Ward Seidel smiles at the camera.

Allison Rae Ward-Seidel

  • Ph.D. Student
Xiangyu (Olivia) Zhao

Xiangyu (Olivia) Zhao

  • Ph.D. Student

Contact Us

Reach out for more information regarding VEST 

Two students working on their laptops. One student is pointing to their screen sharing what they are looking at with the other student.

Open Doors Summer Research Program

The Open Doors program, initiated in 2021 with funding from the Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, is a collaboration among faculty and graduate students at the University of Virginia (UVA), Norfolk State University (NSU), and Virginia State University (VSU) to provide students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with the opportunity to learn about conducting research. The program is for undergraduate students who may be interested in pursuing graduate research degrees.

Learn More

Additional VEST Program Details

Students must have mentors associated with the VEST program and be enrolled in the school's education policy or educational psychology–applied developmental science Ph.D. programs. Invitations to participate in the affiliate program are issued via mentors/advisors who are already associated with VEST.

Affiliate fellows are funded by non-VEST sources and are ineligible to receive any research or travel funds from VEST.

Core Curriculum

All affiliate fellows engage in a core training curriculum comprised of these elements:

  1. Two to four courses, depending on students’ prior engagement and experience with education research, that teach fellows to apply rigorous research methods to the following substantive topics: a) teacher quality, b) early childhood, and c) social and behavioral contexts for academic learning
  2. An apprenticeship to research programs focused on teacher quality, early childhood, or social and behavioral contexts for academic learning (roughly 12 hours/week, depending on the specific arrangement with your mentor, in work related to education)
  3. Training workshops in advanced statistical modeling or design
  4. Attendance at interdisciplinary speaker series presentations

For additional information and conditions of the fellowship please speak with the VEST coordinator or your mentor.

The School of Education and Human Development received funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education in 2004 to implement a Fellowship Program in the Education Sciences. Additional grants were awarded in 2009, 2014, and 2020 that has allowed the School to build upon the existing Fellowship program and provide interdisciplinary training to students. Other fellows in the program are supported by other research grants and funding from the School.

News & Stories

All EHD News

Explore alumni features and other news related to our faculty, program, and work.

Funding Disclaimer

The information provided on the School of Education and Human Development's website regarding financial aid is intended for reference purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the information presented, it is important to note that this information should not be construed as a guarantee of funding.


Financial aid availability and eligibility may be subject to various factors, including but not limited to changes in federal or state regulations, institutional policies, funding availability, and individual qualifications. The information provided on these pages may change, and it is recommended that you verify the accuracy of details with the appropriate department administrator.