Reflections on NCME and AERA

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.