Last week, I had the privilege of attending the AERA and NCME annual meetings. This was my third year attending, and it is truly my favorite week of the year, as my email signature proudly noted. Three years ago, when I attended my first AERA and NCME meetings, I knew absolutely no one personally, and I was starstruck attending sessions led by some of my heroes. I had no idea that I would have such an active role at meetings in the not so distant future. These gatherings bring together an incredible community of educational researchers who, in just a few short years, have become not only esteemed colleagues but also dear friends.

This year was particularly special. I had the honor of co-leading a graduate student workshop alongside fellow members of the Graduate Student Issues Committee (GSIC). Our session sparked rich, thoughtful conversations about positionality in research and the critical responsibility we have to engage deeply with the data we collect, analyze, and use to inform our work. It was a reminder of the power of critical reflection in strengthening our scholarship and practice.

I am also thrilled to share that I am now officially serving as Co-Chair of GSIC, alongside Claudia Ventura, a PhD student at the University of Connecticut, under the inspiring leadership of our new president, Amy Hendrickson, Executive Director of Psychometrics for the College Board. We are deeply grateful for the incredible foundation laid by immediate past co-chairs like Catherina Villafuerte and Nicolas Mireles. Also, a special shout out to previous GSIC leaders, Sergio Araneda, Janine Jackson, and Montserrat Medinaceli. You have built a community that is strong, welcoming, and intellectually vibrant. We stand on your shoulders, and while your shoes are big ones to fill, we are committed to honoring your legacy while bringing fresh energy and ideas to the committee. We know you will continue to guide us, just as we will support those who come after.

Looking ahead, I am genuinely excited about the work we will do within GSIC. We already have innovative initiatives underway, and I am confident that, together with the many talented graduate students in measurement, assessment, and education research more broadly, we will continue to build an exceptional community. I warmly invite advice, ideas, and collaboration from all. Our strength lies in the collective wisdom and passion of our members.

Reflecting on this past week, I am reminded again of how fortunate I am to have found a professional home in educational research. When I began my doctoral journey, I was warned that academia could be cold and isolating. And maybe academia is still cold; however, my experience has been the opposite. While we certainly engage in rigorous scholarly debates about measurement, the state of educational research, the role of standardized testing and much more, I have found a community grounded in generosity, mentorship, and genuine care. Seriously, it is amazing to walk into a room at an academic conference and receive so many hugs and kind remarks. I leave these meetings with new research methods to explore, invaluable advice, and friendships that I know will last a lifetime. This is a valuable reminder that no matter how brilliant, accomplished, and well-known you may be, there is always room for kindness. Always! 

This introvert's social battery is drained after several concurrent sessions, 5 receptions, and new connections! My red-eye flight home left me very tired, but I am more energized than ever (kind of, I still need a few more days of rest!!!). The future of educational research is bright, and I am grateful to be a part of shaping it.

This year, I had the pleasure of serving on the National Council on Measurement in Education's (NCME) Graduate Student Issues Committee, where I met so many inspiring individuals, learned from measurement experts, supported students on their graduate journeys, and helped foster a sense of community. 

Looking ahead, I'm excited to share that I will be stepping into the role of co-chair for this committee alongside Claudia Ventura, next year. It’s a privilege to continue this important work in the evolving landscape of educational measurement.
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I will officially be sworn in at the annual meeting's Presidential Reception, and I look forward to what’s ahead!

On April 8 and 10, Dr. Damian Bebell and I had the opportunity to connect with school leaders across Illinois to explore how technology is shaping teaching and learning in today's classrooms. Together, we examined the historical evolution of educational technology, reflected on the purpose of schooling through the lens of mission statements, and discussed practical strategies for assessing technology’s impact using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
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To learn more about Dr. Bebell's work on mission statements and their role in guiding educational practice, visit https://www.purposeofschool.org/

I'm pleased to share that I will be facilitating a workshop with fellow NCME Graduate Student Issue Committee members at this year's NCME Annual Meeting. The details are below:

Student Workshop – Positionality in Action
📅 Wednesday, April 23
🕐 1:00 – 3:00 PM MDT
💲 $15
📍 Hosted by NCME Graduate Student Issues Committee
✍️ Facilitators: Catherina Villafuerte, Nicolas Mireles, Kayla Burt, Alexis Oakley, Autumn Wild, Brein Mosely, MS, Claudia Ventura, & Sarah Hammami, M.A.

Why Attend?
✅ Identify the benefits of assessing positionality
✅ Deepen your understanding of your own positionality
✅ Explore tools to account for bias across research contexts

📢 Open to all students — AERA Graduate Students are welcome to attend!
💻 Space is limited — register soon!
If you have any questions about registering, feel free to reach out to me directly.

As of mid-January, I’m excited to share that I’ve begun a new role in the Institutional Research Office at MIT. My work focuses on exploring the concept of belonging in higher education—what it means, how it is experienced, and the factors that shape it. At a time when many grapple with loneliness and isolation, this research feels more urgent than ever. I’m eager to engage with colleagues at MIT and across the broader academic community to deepen our collective understanding of belonging and its implications. 

Thank you to ASIS&T and the Northeast Chapter for honoring me with their conference support award. I had an amazing experience at the event, as I’ve mentioned before. As part of the award, I was invited to share a reflection, which you can read on the ASIS&T website.

​Thanks to my alma mater, Le Moyne College, for sharing this story about my journey to becoming an educational researcher after graduating. I am deeply grateful to the college and the incredible friends, faculty, and staff I encountered along the way who believed in me, encouraged me, and spoke life into my aspirations. I remain closely connected to Le Moyne as a proud member of the Alumni Association Board and the Business Analytics Advisory Committee, and I look forward to continuing to give back in any way I can. To read the article, click this link: 
https://www.lemoyne.edu/news/embracing-the-rapidly-evolving-world-of-education/

From November 13–15, I had the privilege of attending the Apple Leadership Academy and presenting one workshop and two breakout sessions with Dr. Damian Bebell (Boston College, USA) one of the kindest people I know. I’m so grateful for his guidance and support in helping me grow as a researcher and for the opportunity to share our work together.

During the sessions, we presented results from projects we’ve worked on over the past few years, helping educators explore the power of data and how it can drive meaningful decision-making.

Beyond the presentations, one of the most special moments of the event was reconnecting with my middle school English teacher (photo below). She was someone I deeply admired, and I’ll never forget telling my parents, “I think I’m having a hard time in English this year.” They reached out to her right away, and she reassured them—and me—that I was doing fine and that I was being much too hard on myself. That message of self-kindness has stayed with me ever since.

So, to meet her again 15 years later and share that I’m now researching education—the field that changed my life and connected us in the first place—was an unforgettable experience.

This event, and the many wonderful people I met or reconnected with, reminded me of an important lesson: kindness matters. You never know whose life you might impact.

It was a pleasure to present "Digital Natives: Exploring how Newton Students Use and Perceive Educational Technology alongside Dr. Damian Bebell (Boston College, USA) and three outstanding researchers, also from Boston College. We met with teachers from Newton Public Schools to help them interpret survey results via an interactive dashboard, explore the impact of technology on classrooms and well-being, and discuss how it can be both beneficial and challenging.

I had the incredible opportunity to attend the ASIS&T Annual Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I was honored  to be invited to assist with the panel "Conceptions of Everyday Life in Information Science," hosted by Dr. Jenna Hartel (Faculty of Information - University of Toronto). It was a pleasure collaborating with Allie Landy, a Master's student at the University of Toronto, and distinguished panelists: Dr. Ana Ndumu (University of Maryland, USA), Dr. Melissa Ocepek (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA),  and Dr. Ian Ruthven (University of Strathclyde, UK). BUT what made ASIS&T extra special, was the connections. I met amazing fellow grad students and scholars who were incredibly kind and thoughtful. Academia may have a chilly reputation, but this conference was a reminder that kindness matters and people ALWAYS come first!

Huge thanks to the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education and the Department of Information Science for their support and this awesome write-up. And to ASIS&T’s U.S. Northeast Chapter, thank you for the Conference Support Award!