Work with thought leaders and academic experts from University of Alabama

My work is primarily focused on how teachers learn about and understand the content they teach. My work has been primarily with upper elementary and middle school teachers in the areas of mathematics and computational thinking. I got into this field because of my interest in educational technology and in school reform. My work has focused on investigating how teachers understand the content they teach, how to design effective professional development to support them, and how to assess their learning. All of this is with an eye toward how students learn and how we can build better schools to support learning. I am also a certified running coach (UESCA) and personal trainer (NASM) with a particular interest in women's physiology as it relates to running -- particularly in the menopausal and perimenopausal phases. I am interested in working on projects that are focused on improving education - particularly math education, but also education more broadly. I am also interested in projects that relate to my interest in women running.

Dr. Patrick Gentile is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Hope College, where he has been teaching since 2022. His expertise lies in intercultural communication, sport communication, and qualitative research methods. Dr. Gentile's research focuses on organizational efficiency in sports, particularly examining how cultural knowledge and interactions between players from diverse backgrounds impact team performance. Using qualitative research methods, primarily interviews, Dr. Gentile investigates the experiences of athletes, coaches, and personnel in professional sports settings. His work has resulted in numerous publications. While his focus has been on sport, Dr. Gentile's research has broader implications. The interview techniques he employs and the insights gained from understanding cultural dynamics can be translated to any industry where effective communication and cross-cultural understanding are essential for achieving organizational goals.

Public Speaking/Presentation Training, Communication (Organizational & Interpersonal), Social Media Discourse

Program evaluation, curriculum design, state and local governing, online learning and training, public policy analysis