Karyn Lewis
About Karyn Lewis
Karyn Lewis is a Senior Research Scientist at NWEA, specializing in data visualization and social-emotional learning in educational contexts. She holds a PhD in Social Psychology and has extensive experience in research and evaluation projects aimed at improving educational outcomes.
Work at NWEA
Karyn Lewis has served as a Senior Research Scientist at NWEA since 2019. In this role, she leads diverse research and evaluation projects that focus on social and emotional wellness within educational settings. She also holds the position of Director of the Center for School and Student Progress at NWEA, where she collaborates with other researchers on educational measurement and policy issues. Her work emphasizes the application of social psychology principles to enhance educational outcomes.
Education and Expertise
Karyn Lewis earned her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Psychology and Quantitative Methods from the University of Oregon, where she studied from 2007 to 2014. Prior to that, she completed her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology at Montana State University-Bozeman from 2004 to 2006. Her academic background provides a strong foundation for her research interests, which include school and test engagement, social-emotional learning, and student growth and accountability policies.
Background
Before joining NWEA, Karyn Lewis worked at Education Northwest in various capacities. She served as a Senior Researcher focusing on Social Emotional Learning and Equity from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, she briefly held the position of Leader at Education Northwest in 2019. Earlier in her career, she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder from 2014 to 2015.
Research Contributions
Karyn Lewis has co-authored research examining student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic and has published work on the impacts of COVID-19 on student achievement. Her research interests extend to the effects of school climate and culture on students' experiences, as well as equity in education. She utilizes her expertise in data visualization to enhance the understanding of research findings.