Research

students posing in front of research poster
Research Driving Change

We are home to 14 research and outreach units. Our faculty members in these units have a reputation for conducting innovative work in school reform, assessment, school-wide discipline and behavior management, positive youth development, family interventions, special education, early intervention, and culturally responsive educational practices. These programs help children and families of all ages—from infants and toddlers to adolescents and young adults. The work they do is making a difference in Oregon, across the country, and around the world.

Our research culture is field-leading and highly influential with a long tradition of translating research into effective models, methods, and measures that improve lives.

$67M
In faculty sponsored research and project grants FY2024
46
Principal investigators
in fy2024
108
Active research Awards
Received in fy2024
$631K
Average annual award
in fy2024

 

Research Briefly

Brief videos highlighting remarkable research and grant awards within the College of Education
 

image of Emily Tanner-Smith, PhD

THOMSON PROFESSOR
Emily Tanner-Smith
Professor Tanner-Smith discusses meta analysis project that focuses on examining the effectiveness of mathematics interventions.

Professor Beth Stormshak, PhD

PHILIP H. KNIGHT CHAIR
Beth Stormshak
Professor Beth Stormshak, PhD discusses The Family Check-Up Model and its unique, strength-based approach.

Elizabeth Budd PhD

EVERGREEN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Elizabeth Budd
Evergreen Associate Professor Liz Budd, PhD, discusses her project that focuses on addressing health disparities within Latinx communities.

Professor Ilana Umansky, PhD

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Ilana Umansky
Professor Umansky speaks to her involvement in the National R&D Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners.

 

 

 

All Research Briefly Videos  »

 Impact and Outcomes

43
commercial education products on the market right now
29,000+
schools use our Positive behavioral interventions and supports Apps (PBISApps)
1 in 10
US Students were impacted by the use of The School-Wide Information System (SWIS)

We are the highest-ranked academic unit at the University of Oregon, due largely to a decades-long record of national and international research and development in special education, counseling psychology, educational leadership, and school psychology. Our research culture is unique and highly influential because our faculty have a long tradition of translating research into effective models, methods, and measures that improve lives.

Our innovations have an enduring impact in Oregon and across the nation.

Our Education Products

Research News 

June 2, 2025

Emily Tanner-Smith, PhD accepting SPR Fellow award

Emily Tanner-Smith, PhD, selected as a Society for Prevention Research Fellow

The 2025 Recognition and Honors Committee, with nominations from the membership of the Society for Prevention Research (SPR), selected Emily Tanner-Smith to be a Fellow. Fellowship is an honor that SPR bestows upon a small and select group of members who have a particularly distinguished record of contributions in the field of prevention research.

April 30, 2025

young person sitting at a table playing with plastic letters

What are effective screening practices for multilingual learners?

Bilingual screening provides educators with a more complete understanding of multilingual students’ reading ability and positions them to support multilingual students' learning needs, reducing the risk of misidentification for special education services and leading to improved academic outcomes and more inclusive educational practices.

April 28, 2025

Baxter, Eugene company sign in front of office building

J.H. Baxter fined $1M, president sentenced for environmental crimes in Oregon

Sarah Stapleton, PhD, a science education researcher at the University of Oregon who attended the trial, said the trial showed that scientists should rethink the way they do research, given how the lack of a definitive connection to health impacts limited Baxter-Krause's sentence.

April 23, 2025

Youth Mental Health Forum cover graphic

UO mental health experts share insights at recent forum

UO researchers shared insights into youth mental and behavioral health issues and got an update on Ballmer Institute programs during a recent forum for journalists, who also heard how a new service delivery model developed at the UO will support the state’s children. Professors Jen Doty and Geovanna Rodriguez offer expert commentary.

 

 

 

All Research News  »

 

Jennifer Ruef
Associate Professor Jennifer Ruef Receives 2024 NSF CAREER Award

Jennifer Ruef, PhD, is one of four UO researchers to receive the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty in 2024. Ruef’s project is focused on student perceptions of math and partnering with teachers to improve how they teach math.

Learn more about Jennifer's award

HEDCO Institute Classroom
HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice

Strengthening connections between research and practice in K-12 education

The HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice aims to impact future generations by supporting today’s educators. Using the latest tools and methods to conduct rigorous evidence syntheses that meet the rapid decision-making needs of education leaders, the HEDCO Institute translates the findings from existing research, providing education leaders with trustworthy information to support the implementation of evidence-based practices, and promoting healthy students and schools.

Discover the HEDCO Institute

Research and Outreach Units

Click on the titles below to learn about the research and outreach unit's current work, faculty and staff, community impact, and more.   

Behavioral Research and Teaching
The BRT concentrates on student learning information systems and teacher decision-making by researching and developing basic skills and content assessments, and supporting accessibility to state accountability systems that document academic standards proficiency.
Center for Equity Promotion
CEQP is dedicated to working with communities to better understand and support the positive development of children and families, particularly those who are underserved by education, health, and social services systems.
Center on Human Development
CHD focuses on research, training, and outreach to support individuals with disabilities, their families, and communities. Home to the University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities, our faculty and staff are particularly committed to bridging the research-to-practice gap through partnerships with schools and other community agencies. 
Center for Childhood Safety and Wellbeing
CSAW is designed to develop, implement and research a collective impact and public health approach to child safety and wellbeing.
Center on Teaching and Learning
CTL conducts research on the design, delivery, and efficacy of curriculum, instruction, and assessment as individual elements used in schools, especially in the primary, elementary, and middle school grades.
Early Childhood CARES
ECCares provides early intervention and early childhood special education services to children from birth to five-year-olds in Lane County who have a development delay, disability and/or sensory impairment.
Educational and Community Supports
ECS focuses on the development and implementation of practices that result in positive, durable, and scientifically substantiated change in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families. Federal and state funded projects support research, teaching, dissemination, and technical assistance activities
intoCAREERS
IntoCareers works directly with leaders in education and workforce across the United States to develop and centralize evidence-based resources, curriculum, and technology-supported career action plans. By engaging state leaders, intoCareers maximizes at-scale impact while ensuring that the focus remains on empowering individuals in their personal Career Action Plans.
Oregon Career Information System
CIS provides a seamless connection between education, workforce, career, and reskilling. CIS assists state agencies, schools, community organizations, and private businesses to remove barriers to career planning, provide comprehensive information about opportunities, tools that teach career self-management skills, and information specific to Oregon’s labor and education markets.
Oregon Education Science Laboratory
OESL conducts research on teaching and learning in STEM+C education (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing) with an emphasis on creating and studying learning environments that foster equity and inclusion for historically underrepresented groups.
Secondary Special Education and Transition
SSET conducts research and outreach activities to develop and implement research-based transition services that assist transition-age youth in developing knowledge and skills to fulfill their desired adult roles, including meaningful employment, completion of postsecondary education or training programs, and living independently in the community.
Prevention Science Institute
PSI is a multidisciplinary institute focused on understanding human development, preventing behavioral health problems, and implementing effective interventions in community settings.
HEDCO Clinic
HEDCO Clinic can assist with a variety of challenges from treating stuttering to helping families navigate parenting or relationship issues. We are here to assist caregivers of children and adolescents, individuals experiencing stress or mental health issues, couples, and families.
The HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice
The HEDCO Institute for Evidence-Based Educational Practice provides K-12 education and policy leaders in the United States with relevant, accessible, valid, and reliable information about the latest research so they can implement evidence-informed practices and policies that promote the physical, mental, and social well-being of students, schools, and communities.