NAEP Doctoral Student Internship Alumni

From Internship to Impact

The NAEP Doctoral Student Internship Program recognizes diversity in background and perspective as essential to fostering groundbreaking research and innovation. The program has grown over the years, embracing diverse talent from universities and doctoral programs across the United States representing academic disciplines including educational measurement and statistics, economics, data science, computer science, data visualization, psychology, education policy, sociology, and more.

The program’s acceptance rate remains competitive, with only a few positions available each year; however, candidates who align with the program’s commitment and dedication to excellence are encouraged to apply.

Alumni Across the Nation

The following interactive map highlights the origins of NAEP Doctoral Student Internship Program applicants and the esteemed institutions internship these alumni represent. Discover the breadth of the internship community and where program alumni have come from.

NAEP interns have been selected from a talented pool of candidates applying from across the nation.

Want to see your university on the map? Apply for the internship program and join us in driving innovation in education research!

Unlocking Potential in a Collaborative Environment

This doctoral-level internship program is designed to provide an enriching and comprehensive experience for advanced students. Interns engage in substantial research opportunities, applying their expertise to real-world challenges facing education and large-scale assessment.

The collaborative environment fostered in the program allows interns to network and connect not only with each other, but also with leaders in NAEP research and within their areas of interest. Interns are given access to experienced mentors who provide valuable feedback and career guidance, ensuring professional growth. Throughout the summer, interns are offered opportunities and training sessions to introduce them to NAEP and enhance their methodologies and professional practices.

The virtual program offers flexible scheduling and a supportive environment to pave the way for future career advancement. Many interns go on to publish their findings and present at research conferences following their participation in the program.

Internship Highlights

Scroll through the alumni photo album, which showcases highlights from recent internship activities, and read what some internship alumni have had to say about their experience.

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Next Generation Innovators

Interns will dive into challenging projects that are designed to tackle real-world issues and require them to apply their skills and creativity in dynamic ways. These experiences not only enhance their technical expertise but also foster resilience and teamwork, preparing them for future success in their careers.

In a recent survey of alumni, 100% strongly agreed or agreed that the skills they developed and utilized during their internship are used frequently in their current roles. 

Hear from Recent Alumni

Don't miss out! Join our mailing list and be the first to know when internship applications open.

Intern Cohorts

Check out our alumni from previous cohorts and their projects below.

Name University Program Project
Naomi Duran University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Human Development & Family Studies Projected and Actualized Post-COVID Public School Enrollments
Paulina Grekov University of Wisconsin - Madison Quantitative Methods Mathematics learning environments and the coronavirus pandemic: Relationship across locale and key equity indicators
Adalin Ni Vanderbilt University Computer Science Analyzing Response Changes in Constructed Response Items In NAEP Mathematics Grade 8 2022 Process Data
Saugat Pandey Washington University Computer Science Exploring Equity in the Collection and Reporting of Data
Maggie Perkoff University of Colorado Boulder Computer Science + Cognitive Science Can Large Language Models Transform Automated Scoring?: A Case Study with NAEP Mathematics Constructed Response Items
Dekyi Suolang University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Survey and Data Science Handling Missing Contextual Data in Large-Scale Assessments: The Multiple Imputation Strategy
Winnie Wilberforce Ohio State University Quantitative Research, Evaluation and Measurement Estimating Differential Course Difficulty in High School Mathematics Courses using NAEP as a Common Benchmark

Name University Program Project
Radhika Kapoor Stanford University Education Process mining for mapping response sequences: NAEP Grade 4 Math items
Muhammad Talal Khan University of Hawaii at Manoa Economics Structural Topic Modeling Using the 2019 NIES Open-Ended Teacher Responses
Danielle Siegel University of California, Davis Quantitative Psychology Comparing Plausible Value Methodology and Direct Estimation using NAEP-like Data
Jazzmine Waugh University of Washington Biology: Data Science Linking NAEP Data with External Data to Explore Student Experiences During COVID

Archived Video

Name University Program Project
Yusuf Canbolat Indiana University Education Policy Investigating the Relationship between Air Pollution and Education Outcomes Using NAEP and County-level Data
Juno Yingzhi Dong University of California, Los Angeles Human Development and Psychology Creating an Interactive Tool– Shedding Light on Students who Perform Below NAEP Basic
Eric Ho University of California, Los Angeles School of Education, Social Research Methodology Operation REQUISITE – Re-envisioning Educational Quantitative User Information: Shiny Interface to Explore
Jacob Maibach University of Arizona Statistics How do 8th graders navigate NAEP mathematics? Exploring students’ navigational behaviors with process data
Yichi Zhang University of Southern California Quantitative Methods and Computational Psychology Investigating Measurement Invariance in NAEP Student Questionnaire Index Items

Name University Program Project
Bhashithe (Bash) Abeysinghe Georgia State University Computer Science Equation Editor Usage: A case from 2017 NAEP Grade 8 Mathematics
Matthew Davidson University of Washington Educational Measurement and Statistics The Use of Universal Design Features by English Learners: An analysis of NAEP 2017 Mathematics Grade 4
Kelly Guinn University of Iowa Criminology and Sociology of Education Behavioral Incidents, School Behavioral Climate, and Student Level Mathematics Achievement: Exploration of NAEP and SSOCS
Elsie Lee University of Michigan School of Information/Data Visualization Re-envisioning Quantitative Data: Access to internet at home and policy initiatives for broadband internet
Tabitha Wilbur Indiana University Sociology The Relationship between Algebra Skills, NAEP Performance, and Postsecondary Outcomes
Yi Yang Columbia University Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics Identifying Response Time Thresholds for Solution Behaviors: Exploratory Study on Proces Data in NAEP Assessment
Haobai Zhang University of Delaware Education/Learning Sciences Evaluating Effects of Text-to-Speech on NAEP Mathematics Assessment

Name University Program Project
Ayse Cobanoglu University at Buffalo Educational Psychology and Quantitative Methods How is Mathematics Growth Related to the Growth in Working Memory in Early Grades? A Parallel Latent Growth Model of ECLS-K: 2011 Data
Trenton Combs University of Miami Research, Measurement, and Education Bayesian Joint Modeling of Latent Speed and Ability
Xin Qiao University of Maryland, College Park Measurement, Statistics and Evaluation Exploring Answer Change Behavior Using NAEP Process Data
Wan Hee Kim Purdue University Literacy and Language Education Exploring Technology Inequality Among Grade 8 “Digital Natives”: Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic and School Close on Education
Huan “Hailey” Kuang University of Florida Research and Evaluation Methodology Is Test-Disengagement the Same Across Years? Comparison of Test Disengagement Between Different Years of PISA Process Data

Archived Video

Name University Program Project
Melanie Gonzalez University of Texas at Austin Developmental Psychology Does the relationship between TEL experience and TEL achievement differ by TEL learning source?
Manqian “Mancy” Liao University of Maryland, College Park Measurement, Statistics & Evaluation Insights from students’ calculator use
Monica Morell University of Maryland, College Park Measurement, Statistics & Evaluation Exploring item visits and students’ revisit behaviors: NAEP process data
R. Noah Padgett Baylor University Educational Psychology Teacher weights study: Investigating trimming methods for state level teacher inferences
Nixi Wang University of Washington Measurement & Statistics, Educational Psychology Exploring students’ non-response behaviors with process data
Tong Wu Purdue University at West Lafayette Educational Psychology Exploring speededness in NAEP digitally based assessment
Sinan Yavuz University of Wisconsin - Madison Quantitative Methods Program, Educational Psychology A comparison study of imputation methods: Imputing school-level NSLP

Name University Program Project
Ummugul Bezirhan Teachers College, Columbia University Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics Comparing Mantel-Haenszel and Wald DIF Detection methods under Matrix Sampling of Items
Emma Cohen Indiana University Sociology STEM Course-taking, Motivation, and NAEP Grade 12 Mathematics
Juanita Hicks University of North Carolina at Greensboro Educational Research Methodology Exploring Perceived Time Pressure and Speededness Using NAEP Process Data
Glenn Hui George Mason University Statistical Science Item Profiling: A Case Study of NAEP Grade 4 Mathematics Process Data, Test Speededness in NAEP
HyunJoo Jung University of Massachusetts Amherst Research, Educational Measurement, and Psychometrics Exploration of Issues with Applying Multistage Testing in NAEP: Evaluation of MST compared to Linear Assessment
Youngjun Lee Michigan State University Measurement and Quantitative Methods Construction of an IRT-based SES index for NAEP 2003-2017
Xinyu (Crystal) Ni Teachers College, Columbia University Applied Statistics, Measurement and Evaluation Mathematics Course-taking Patterns and NAEP Performance, Test Speededness in NAEP
Youmi Suk University of Wisconsin-Madison Quantitative Methods Program, Educational Psychology Effects of the Extended Time Accommodation (ETA) on Performance in NAEP Mathematics
Seyfullah Tingir Florida State University Measurement and Statistics Examining the Relationships Between Students’ Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies and Reading Achievement through a Bayesian Network Analysis
Mingqin Zhang University of Iowa Educational Measurement and Statistics Comparison of Weighted Composite, UIRT, and MIRT Ability Estimation Approaches in Routing Decisions in Multistage NAEP Assessment

Name University Program Project
Paris Adkins-Jackson Morgan State University Psychometrics Examining the Factor Structure of an SES Proxy with 2013 NAEP Grade 12 Math Assessment
Maisaa Alahmadi Morgan State University Psychometrics A Closer Look at National Gender Gaps in Reading, Mathematics, and Science Achievement
Tanesia Beverly University of Connecticut Measurement, Evaluation & Assessment Identifying Test-taking Behaviors Using Growth Mixture Models
Kendra DeLaine Howard University Educational Psychology NCES College Preparedness Project, LTT Framework Comparison Project
Andrew Iverson Washington State University Educational Psychology Language Minority Status, Reading Development, and Summer Reading Achievement Loss
Eva (Yujia) Li University of Connecticut, Storrs Educational Measurement, Evaluation and Assessment Reading Growth and Summer Loss: Helping Those Potentially at-Risk, Relationship between Teaching Strategy and Early Reading Growth: A Nationally Representative Sample
Bradlee Sutherland The Catholic University of America Applied Experimental Psychology Exploring Access to Digital Technologies at home and in school for Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 by Selected Student Characteristics
Xiaying (James) Zheng University of Maryland College Park Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation The Impact of Missing Contextual Questionnaire Data on Group Level Ability Estimation, A comparison of pairwise cumulative linking and concurrent calibration linking using NAEP data
Jinwang Zou University of Maryland College Park Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation Reading motivation and achievement gap: Evidence from NAEP

Where Are They Now?

As a NAEP Doctoral Student Intern, you are part of the NAEP R&D community, which stays connected. Internship alumni have gone on to work in a variety of settings. Within the public sector, alumni are working at universities including Yale, Harvard, Columbia, and Boston College, or with state, federal, and international government agencies. Alumni have also gone on to work in the private and nonprofit sectors with companies including Apple, Google, Zillow, and Duolingo, as well as various research and professional organizations.

Check out intern spotlights in the R&D Hub to catch up with alumni and their successes since completing the program.

Link to the Melanie Gonzalez R&D Hub Post

Melanie Gonzalez

Link to the Eric Ho R&D Hub Post

Eric Ho

Link to the Hailey Kuang R&D Hub Post

Hailey Kuang

Link to the Mingqin Zhang R&D Hub Post

Mingqin Zhang

Link to the Yichi Zhang R&D Hub Post

Yichi Zhang

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Apply Now: Summer 2025 NAEP Doctoral Student Internship Program

01-09-2025

Gain hands-on experience in educational research and analysis with the NAEP Doctoral Student Internship Program. Apply now here—the application deadline is February 1, 2025!

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08-09-2024

Check out news about the latest release from the EdSurvey team here. And remember you can always access their e-book here.