Kay Merseth, Senior Lecturer on Education and Faculty Director, Teacher Education Program

Katherine Merseth's research and writing concentrate on leadership, teacher education, mathematics education, case-method instruction, and charter schools. She has been a member of the Education faculty since 1985. She was the founding executive director of the Harvard Children's Initiative, a university-wide program focusing on the needs of children. At HGSE, Merseth was the founding director of the School Leadership Program and the Teacher Education Program. She was the principal investigator of the Mathematics Case Development Project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and co-principal investigator of the Teacher Education Addressing Mathematics and Science in Boston and Cambridge Project, also funded by the NSF. She recently concluded a three year grant leading a Massachusetts Math and Science Partnership working with middle school mathematics teachers using an innovative approach of classroom based cases. Currently she serves as PI on the NSF funded Noyce Scholars in math and science program and just recently launched a two year study to examine best practices in high performing charter schools that focus on students at risk. She has served as a math curriculum developer, teacher, and administrator in K–12 schools. In addition to her Harvard doctorate, Merseth holds a B.A. in mathematics from Cornell University, an M.A. in mathematics from Boston College, and an M.A.T. from Harvard in secondary mathematics education. She spends any free time on her tractor at her Maine farmhouse, hiking, playing tennis, or rowing on the Charles.

Research Assistant Skills: Professor Merseth seeks a research assistant to assist her in a variety of areas, particularly helping to expand undergraduate resources for education research and careers. The RA will work as part of a small research team on outreach for UTEP (the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program) and the development of support for The Harvard Teacher Fellowship program. In addition, this individual will help work on preliminary plans for a new undergraduate-focused programs at the Graduate School of Education (forums, speaker series, possible funding opportunities). The RA will also assist in selecting appropriate course readings and researching topics ranging from American education history to charter school effectiveness to higher education pedagogy.

Apply to work with Professor Merseth here.