Sondra N. Barringer joined the Institute in fall 2013 as a postdoctoral research associate. She comes to IHE from the School of Sociology at the University of Arizona, where she received her doctorate in 2013 and a Master of Arts (also in sociology) in 2008. Barringer’s primary role at IHE is as project manager on a National Science Foundation grant titled “The Executive Science Network: University Trustees and the Organization of University-Industry Exchanges.” She is working with co-PIs Sheila Slaughter and Barrett J. Taylor (IHE PhD 2012) to map the extent and nature of connections between AAU universities and corporations from 1975 to 2010. The project will also evaluate the consequences of these connections on university research, policies, prestige, and other behaviors. This fall she is teaching a course in higher education non-profits as part of a critical issues in higher education series taught to IHE graduate students. Jennifer Rippner joined the Institute in January 2014 as a postdoctoral research associate after completing her doctorate in higher education in December. As a student, she served as a graduate research assistant for the Provost’s Office working on college completion, performance funding and faculty workload policy issues. Rippner is a past member of the Southern Regional Education Board and is currently a gubernatorial appointee to the State Charter Schools Commission. She was selected to participate in the William L. Boyd National Educational Politics workshop at the 2013 AERA conference and has presented multiple papers at ASHE and Education Law Association annual conferences. She also published a book review in the Teachers College Record in 2013. Her main area of research focuses on education organizations and systems, particularly state systems. She endeavors to understand how system reform (P-20) can help states achieve their educational goals. Stevie Upton joined the Institute as a postdoctoral research associate in fall 2013. Prior to this she was research officer of an independent think tank in the U.K., where she specialized in research on education and regional economic development. She earned her Master of Science in regeneration studies and doctorate from Cardiff University. Upton is particularly interested in the roles played by universities in social and economic development at the local and regional scales. In addition to this focus on university knowledge exchange practices, she undertakes related research on government and institutional knowledge exchange policies, and on their theoretical underpinnings. At present she is examining methods for effectively incentivizing faculty to engage in knowledge exchange activities, and is investigating how research-intensive U.S. universities frame their missions. She currently teaches an IHE course on the role of higher education in economic and social innovation. Type of News/Audience: Alumni 2014 IHE Report
