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NORC at the University Chicago

Erin Knepler

Pronouns: She/Her

Senior Research Director
Higher Education Analytics Center
Education & Child Development
Erin is a social science researcher with expertise in postsecondary education research focusing on career pathways, campus/organizational climate, and STEM.

Erin is a senior research director in the Higher Education Analytics Center (HEAC) at NORC at the University of Chicago and a Sparks blog contributor. Erin brings more 15 years of experience working in higher education conducting research and analysis on postsecondary career pathways, college completion, campus and organizational climate, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs.

Currently, Erin serves as project director of a grant from the National Science Foundation (award no. 2226007) to conduct a culturally responsive, mixed-methods research project addressing critical gaps in research related to career trajectories of STEM PhD students. This effort will further the goal of building an elite, diverse STEM workforce committed to addressing and solving pressing social problems and is in partnership with North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University, North Carolina State University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Erin also directs several campus climate studies for academic institutions and faith-based organizations.

Prior to NORC, Erin was the associate director of research and higher education and workforce research lead at Public Agenda. In this role, she designed and analyzed representative surveys of the general public and specialized surveys for postsecondary leaders and content experts. Before joining Public Agenda, Erin was a researcher and P-20 program director at the University System of Maryland. In this role, she worked at the intersection of policy and application, specializing in system and campus-level academic innovation work and research on academic/industry partnerships.

Project Contributions

Advancing Metrics for Sexual Harassment Prevention in STEM

Developing metrics to assess sexual harassment prevention, outreach, and response in STEM

Client:

National Science Foundation

American Finance Association Climate Study

Exploring the working environment in the finance profession, with a focus on equity

Client:

American Finance Association

Annual Census of Finance Faculty & PhD Students

Tracking demographics to promote greater gender diversity in the finance sector

Client:

American Finance Association (AFA)

Artificial Intelligence in Graduate STEM Education

Examining the use of artificial intelligence in STEM graduate programs and its effect on diversity, equity, and inclusion

Client:

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Booth School of Business Faculty Climate Survey

A survey to assess and improve the climate among faculty members

Client:

Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago

Booth School of Business Faculty Climate Survey

A survey to assess and improve the climate among faculty members

Client:

Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago

BU School of Public Health Annual Survey

Helping BUSPH identify the strengths and weaknesses of its programming and resources

Client:

Boston University School of Public Health

Career Trajectories of STEM Doctoral Students

Studying STEM PhD students’ career trajectories using culturally responsive measures and methods

Client:

National Science Foundation

College Mentoring Programs Evaluation

Assessing ways to increase college completion rates for historically underserved students

Client:

ECMC Foundation

Columbia University Campus Climate Student Survey

Exploring students’ sense of inclusion and experiences with cross-cultural interactions, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and freedom of expression

Client:

Columbia University

Graduate Schools’ Response to COVID-19

A rapid survey details how STEM schools coped with pandemic disruptions

Client:

National Science Foundation

Hillel International Campus Climate Review

Understanding institutional climates for Jewish college students

Client:

Hillel International

Middle States Commission on Higher Education COVID-19 Report

Evaluating how higher education institutions adapted in response to the pandemic

Client:

Middle States Commission on Higher Education

National Study of Faculty Attitudes Toward Academic Freedom

A new study of academic freedom inspired by Paul Lazarsfeld’s 1958 research

Client:

American Association of Colleges and Universities and American Association of University Professors

Survey on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Curricula in Higher Education

Gaining insight into psychedelic-assisted therapy curricula and implementation in U.S. higher education

Client:

BrainFutures

Varying Degrees: The State of Higher Education

Tracking changing opinions and trends about college education

Client:

New America

Wake Forest University Student Survey

Identifying key issues and concerns on the Wake Forest campus

Client:

Wake Forest University

Walden University Diversity and Inclusion Climate Survey

Supporting the online university’s efforts to ensure a strong culture of diversity and inclusion

Client:

Walden University Diversity and Inclusion Working Group

Publications

Research Library & Findings