As the 2024-25 academic year begins, five new faculty members join the UNC School of Education’s academic community. Nicole Damico, Ph.D.; Annemarie Hindman, Ph.D.; Todd Jensen, Ph.D.; Ha Nguyen, Ph.D.; and Stephanie Anne Shelton, Ph.D., collectively contribute an array of experience, expertise, and high-impact research activities across multiple areas of education and will work closely with students across degree levels and programs.
“This is an exceptional group of new faculty members, and we look forward to the ways in which they will enrich our School of Education and the University and communities well beyond the stone walls of campus,” said Jill Hamm, Ph.D., interim dean and William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Education. “These faculty members join an already extraordinary faculty and will add valuable perspectives and expertise to existing research synergies and to programs that prepare the next generation of top educators and scholars.”
Meet our new faculty members and explore their areas of expertise.
Nicole Damico, Ph.D.
Damico joins the School as a clinical associate professor and program director of the Master of Arts in Teaching program. Prior to this role, she served as an associate professor at the University of Central Florida.
Damico has taught English Language Arts in middle school, high school, and college classrooms, embracing a teaching philosophy that, she said, “respects and cares for the souls of our students,” an idea she draws from bell hooks. As a teacher educator, she supports teacher candidates in cultivating their evolving identities and engaging in authentic teacher inquiry and action research. Damico is also dedicated to supporting educational opportunities that prepare PK-16 students for the ever-changing digital landscape, enabling them to become informed consumers, producers, disseminators, and inventors of a wide range of media.
Damico’s research focuses on identifying gaps in educator preparation and exploring digital technologies that support all learners in becoming critical and globally engaged citizens. Her work includes analyzing multimodal tools for reading, writing, and assessment; developing ethical citizenship through digital mindfulness; and incorporating critical social media literacies.
Damico holds a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Pennsylvania State University.
Annemarie Hindman, Ph.D.
Hindman joins the School as a professor in both the Applied Developmental Science and Special Education doctoral program concentration and the Master of Education for Experienced Teachers program. Before joining the School, Hindman was a professor of early childhood education and educational psychology at Temple University.
Growing up in a rural community with a passion for reading and as a way to explore the wider world, Hindman started her career as a Head Start educator, where she became captivated by how young children develop early language and literacy skills. With more than 25 years of experience in education, Hindman has collaborated with families and educators to support children’s reading development from birth through elementary school.
Hindman’s research aims to support young children at risk for reading difficulties by improving their access to high-quality, culturally relevant instruction at school, home, and within the community. Her methodologies include secondary data analysis, observational research in a variety of settings, and designing and evaluating interventions. Initially a quantitative researcher, Hindman now integrates mixed methods approaches into her work.
Hindman holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University and a master’s degree in developmental psychology and a Ph.D. in education and psychology from the University of Michigan. She has authored over 80 publications and secured more than $20 million in grants as a principal or co-principal investigator from federal and foundation sources.
Todd Jensen, Ph.D.
Jensen joins the School as an assistant professor within the Applied Developmental Science and Special Education doctoral concentration, as well as in the Human Development and Family Science and School Psychology programs. Prior to joining the School, Jensen served as a faculty member at the UNC School of Social Work.
Jensen specializes in promoting youth development and well-being during family structural transitions, preventing maltreatment among military-connected youth and their families, and strengthening youth-serving systems. With foundational training in developmental science, family science, and clinical social work, he is interested in the development and sustainable implementation of health-promoting and evidence-informed interventions (programs, policies, practices) within youth-serving systems, leveraging advances in implementation science.
Jensen’s scholarship is driven by the belief that all youth deserve to experience healthy development and well-being across the life course. The interconnected areas of his research seek to (1) identify malleable family processes that promote youth development and well-being in the context of family structural transitions, such as when parental figures enter or exit youth’s primary residence; (2) promote well-being and prevent various forms of maltreatment among military-connected youth and their families; and (3) highlight interpersonal processes that optimize the efforts of teams to sustainably implement health-promoting and evidence-informed interventions in youth-serving systems.
Jensen obtained his bachelor’s degree in family studies and his master’s degree in clinical social work from Brigham Young University. He also holds a Ph.D. in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he further developed skills associated with intervention research, prevention science, and quantitative methodology.
Ha Nguyen, Ph.D.
Nguyen joins the School as an assistant professor in the Learning Sciences and Psychological Studies doctoral concentration and the Master of Arts in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship program. Before joining the School, Nguyen held a faculty position in Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences at Utah State University.
Nguyen’s current research has a dual focus on design and analytics. From a design perspective, she collaborates with students, educators, and community organizations to ensure that the design of technologies (e.g., conversational agents, learning dashboards) is grounded in learners’ experiences. She applies learning analytics methods to investigate how people construct knowledge in both informal and formal learning environments, whether collaborating with others or interacting with AI technologies. Cultivating local partnerships and centering students’ voices are central threads guiding her research.
Nguyen’s work is supported by the National Science Foundation, and her research has been published in leading journals in learning analytics and science education, including Computers & Education, British Journal of Educational Technology, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, and Journal of Learning Analytics.
Nguyen holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Education from Duke University, as well as master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Education, with a focus on STEM teaching and learning, from the University of California-Irvine.
Stephanie Anne Shelton, Ph.D.
Shelton joins the School as an associate professor within the Culture, Curriculum, and Teacher Education doctoral concentration. Previously, she was associate professor of qualitative research at the University of Alabama.
As a former K-12 teacher, Shelton is driven by a commitment to student learning through investigating pedagogical practices in qualitative inquiry, emphasizing how students learn to design and conduct qualitative studies that prioritize equity and social justice. Through her research, she also explores LGBTQ+ issues in educational settings, particularly in socio-politically restrictive contexts. Specializing in interview- and focus group-based research, Shelton’s research is often informed by feminist and queer theories, focusing on methodological concepts such as reflexivity, informed consent, bias, and subjectivity. In addition to seven books, Shelton has published various scholarly articles in publications including: Qualitative Inquiry, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, International Review of Qualitative Research, Qualitative Research Journal, GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, English Education, and Teaching and Teacher Education.
In recognition of her scholarship, Shelton has received numerous awards, including the AERA’s Division D Early Career Award, NCTE LGBTQ+ Advocacy and Leadership Award, Nellie Rose McCrory Teaching Excellence Award, ALA Choice Book Award, Divergent Award for Excellence in Literacy Advocacy, Texas Woman’s University Visiting Scholar, and University of Georgia LLED Distinguished Alumni Award. Her research has been funded by the Spencer Foundation, the American Educational Research Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, the SEC Faculty Grant Program, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
Shelton garnered a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Mercer University, and two master’s degrees in English literature and English education from Georgia College & State University. She holds a Ph.D. in qualitative research, language & literacy education, and Women’s Studies from The University of Georgia.