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Michael
Paulsen, Ph.D.
Professor EPLS/Higher Education
 Prior
to joining the faculty at Iowa, Michael B. Paulsen served
on the faculties in the higher education programs at the University
of Alabama, the University of Illinois, and the University
of New Orleans. Paulsen's research and publications have focused
on three central areas: economics, finance and policy in higher
education; college choice and student persistence in higher
education; and teaching, learning and faculty development
in higher education. He earned his B.A. degree in economics
from St. Ambrose University and his M.A. degree in economics
from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He completed his
Ph.D. at The University of Iowa with a major in higher education
and a minor in economics.
In addition to conducting research, teaching, and supervising
his students' dissertation research in the higher education
program, Mike will also work with the Office of the Provost
as a consultant with responsibility for conducting institutional
research and policy analyses related to institutional needs.
Paulsen says he is pleased to reconnect with his long-standing
Iowa roots. "I am particularly excited about joining Iowa's
outstanding faculty in its highly-ranked higher education
program," he said.
Brian
Hand, Ph.D.
Professor C&I/Science Education
 Brian
Hand is currently professor and director of the Center for
Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education at Iowa State
University. He will join The University of Iowa College of
Education faculty spring 2005.
Hand received a B.S.C. from Flinders University and a master's
and Ph.D. from Curtin University in Australia. He is a former
Australian high school science and mathematics teacher. He
has published widely in the leading science education journals
and recently co-authored the book, Writing and Learning in
the Science Classroom (2004).
He has been recognized for outstanding achievement in outreach
activities (working with schools) and for research excellence
by the First In the Nation in Education (FINE) foundation
with the Thomas Urban Research award. His research interests
include: writing-for-learning models, school improvement and
reform, assessing student perceptions of the science classroom,
anxiety and stress of master teachers, and how we write differently
with the computer. Hand says he looks forward to joining the
UI faculty and, "strengthening the role of science education
in the classroom and building research using writing-to-learn
strategies that can build science knowledge for all students."
Paul
Umbach, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor EPLS/Higher Education
 Paul
Umbach spent two years as a research associate with the Indiana
University Center for Postsecondary Research prior to joining
the faculty at Iowa. At the Center, he served as a research
team member working on the National Survey of Student Engagement
and as a project manager of the Faculty Survey of Student
engagement. Umbach's professional background includes several
years working in institutional research at Tidewater Community
College, Old Dominion University, and the University of Maryland.
He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University
of Maryland, College Park, and a B.S. in Psychology and an
M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Old Dominion
University.
Umbach's research focuses on social and organizational structures
that impact college students, and faculty and senior administrators'
careers. Central issues of his work include equity and diversity.
Umbach says there are several reasons that led to his decision
to choose The University of Iowa as a place to call his home.
Among the most important are the faculty colleagues in the
department and throughout the college. "They offer an environment
of encouragement and support that cannot be matched," he said.
Kathleen
Banks, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Scholar P&Q/Measurement and Statistics
 Kathleen
Banks comes from Milwaukee, Wisc. She spent five years with
the Milwaukee Public School District as a first-grade teacher,
program implementor, and acting assistant principal. She received
her Ph.D. in Urban Education with a focus in Research and
Evaluation from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her
research focuses primarily on differential item and distractor
functioning and on understanding how variables such as race,
culture, and socioeconomic status affect how examinees respond
to test items.
Banks chose to do postdoctoral work at The University of
Iowa because the educational measurement and statistics program
has a very good reputation. In addition, there are a number
of resources available, such as the Iowa Testing Program and
CogAt, for her to carry out her research.
Noel
Estrada- Hernandez, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Scholar CRSD/Rehabilitation Counseling
 Noel
Estrada-Hernandez, originally from Puerto Rico, obtained his
masters degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University
of Puerto Rico in San Juan. After working two years as a rehabilitation
counselor, Estrada-Hernandez decided he wanted to contribute
more to the profession by means of research and teaching.
In 2004, he completed his Ph.D. at The University of Iowa.
His research projects focus on three main areas including:
ethics in rehabilitation counseling, psychosocial adjustment
to disability, and career/vocational development.
Estrada-Hernandez chose to do postdoctoral work at Iowa because
during his doctoral studies he had the opportunity to meet
and work with pioneers, great researchers, educators, and
role models in the field. "Iowa certainly has given me many
great opportunities, experiences, friends, and a home away
from home," he said.
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