Loran Carleton Parker
Associate Director, Principal Evaluation and Research Scholar
Evaluation and Learning Research Center (ELRC)
Education Administration
About
Loran has over 15 years of experience in education research and evaluation and has worked with projects funded by a wide array of public and private organizations, including NSF, NIH, CDC, U.S. DOE, USDA, USAID, DHHS, Lily Endowment, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kresge Foundation, and Lumina Foundation. Loran’s interests are using participatory evaluation approaches to learn about how to build, develop and sustain learning communities working toward social justice. At ELRC, she does this by identifying partners who align with the ELRC’s mission and vision, facilitating the framing of the work in learning theory, identifying ways in which progress might be monitored, evaluated, and interpreted, and developing processes through which stakeholders at all levels and circumstances can be included in the work.
Loran enjoys the outdoors and exploring nature. She bleeds old gold and black—she has three degrees from Purdue. She lives just west of campus with her husband, two children and small zoo of pets.
Education
- Ph.D. in Science Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Dissertation: “The Use of Zoo Exhibits by Family Groups to Learn Science” Advisor: Gerald H. Krockover, Ph.D. - M.S.Ed. in Science Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Thesis: “Investigating Atmospheric Science Students’ Ideas about the Nature of Science” Advisor: Gerald H. Krockover, Ph.D. - B.S. in Atmospheric Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Area of Concentration: Atmospheric Chemistry
Research Advisor: Reto Giere, Ph.D.
Career Experience
- Evaluation and Learning Research Center (ELRC), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Associate Director, Principal Scholar 2021-present - Evaluation and Learning Research Center (ELRC), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Associate Director, Senior Evaluation and Research Associate 2017-2021 - Discovery Learning Research Center (DLRC), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Assessment Specialist 2009-2017
Awards & Honors
- 2023 Purdue College of Education Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award
- 2013 Purdue College of Agriculture Team Science Award
- 2010 Purdue University Seeds for Success Award Winner
Professional Affiliations/Memberships
- Advised University Innovation Hub on proposal writing for education research and evaluation
- Research and Evaluation Program Chair for National Institutes of Health Science Education Conference (NIH SciEd) 2021-2022
- Co-founded Purdue University Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) Community of Practice: co-led working groups on URE Evaluation and Scaling UREs on campus
- Review Panel Member, National Science Foundation
- Participant in National STEM Center Working Group sponsored by APLU
- Chair of MaPSAC Professional Staff Advisory Committee
- Advisor to University Senate
- Provided leadership at University level as Member of Standing Committee for Equity and Diversity Advisor, EPICS VOSS Memorial Project (Discovery Park Solar System)
- Manuscript Reviewer, British Journal of Educational
- Technology Manuscript Reviewer, International Journal of Inclusive Education Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of School Science and Mathematics
- Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of Research in Interprofessional Practice and Education Manuscript Reviewer, American Educational Research Journal
- Manuscript Reviewer, Journal of STEM
- Outreach Manuscript Reviewer, PLOS One
- Manuscript Reviewer, Canadian Journal of Research in Higher Education
- Proposal Reviewer, Presenter, American Evaluation Association Annual
- Conference Proposal Reviewer, Presenter, National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Meetings
- Proposal Reviewer, Presenter, American Educational Research Association Annual Meetings
- Proposal Reviewer, Presenter, Visitor Studies Association Annual
Meetings
Research & Publications
Dr. Parker’s research, evaluation and consulting work advances knowledge and practice in the following areas:
- Transforming Higher Education for Inclusion and Equitable Student Outcomes
- Developing and Evaluating Cross-Disciplinary Learning Experiences for Students and Professionals
- Building National and International Capacity for Evidence Use to Seek Justice in Policy and Governance
- Developing Inclusive STEM Learning Experiences for Youth