Ph.D. Students Named Institute of Education Sciences Fellows

Four Penn Arts & Sciences doctoral students have been selected to participate in the inaugural year of the Predoctoral Training Program in Interdisciplinary Methods for Field-Based Research in Education at Penn’s Graduate School of Education (GSE). This Institute of Education Sciences (IES) program supports scholars conducting research that informs education policy and practice.

This year’s fellows, selected from across the University, will participate in an interdisciplinary core curriculum, conduct research with faculty and industry mentors, and apprentice with an education agency focused on questions of policy and practice. Penn’s program is led by GSE’s Rebecca Maynard and A. Brooks Bowden.

IES fellows from Penn Arts & Sciences:

Ellen Bryer, sociology, holds a B.A. in sociology from Smith College. Bryer’s research interests include the sociology of education, social stratification, transition to adulthood, and wealth.

Monica Mielke, criminology, holds a B.A. in sociology and Germanic studies from the University of Chicago. She is interested in the connections between juvenile justice and education and in improving outcomes for youth involved in the justice system.

Elena van Stee, sociology, holds a B.A. in sociology and religion from Calvin College. Her research centers on the intersections of class, mobility, and religion in the United States, particularly in the context of higher education. Her current research explores how undergraduate students from different backgrounds and universities have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zach Weingarten, economics, holds a B.A. and M.A. in economics from the University of Georgia.