Research
Research Overview
My research on undergraduate STEM education examines ways to foster student learning and success a) by enhancing teaching and learning practices and b) through transformational change in undergraduate STEM education. Research related to the former considers relationships between educational outcomes relative to students’ learning experiences in and across courses and the use of active learning and inclusive practices. Research related to transformational change examines departmental improvement efforts and the involvement of student leaders in shaping programmatic, policy, and structural changes to the undergraduate STEM experience. I work with STEM Education colleagues across higher educational institutions and apply both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques to carry out this work.
Recent Grants
Engineering One Planet (EOP) Framework; Worthy, R., Callahan, K. M., & Titu, P., Lemelson Foundation, $160,129, November 1st, 2023 – October 31st, 2025
Conference: Eliminating the Mathematics Barrier for All Students: Bringing Innovation to Scale in High Education Mathematics; Smeltzer, D. L., Gobstein, H., Rasmussen, C., Kung, D., & Callahan, K.M. National Science Foundation, $99,957, October 1st, 2023-September 30th, 2024
Achieving Critical Transformations in Undergraduate Programs in Mathematics (ACT UP Math); Callahan, K. M., Sloop, B., & Christensen, K. National Science Foundation, $174,054, July 2022-June 2025
KSU Inclusive Excellence Initiative, Anderson, M., Reese, S., … & Callahan, K. M. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, $1,000,000, September 2018 - August 2025
USG STEM Initiative, Jackson, P., Epps. A, Reese, S., Bell, M., & Callahan, K. M. University System of Georgia, $281,500, August 2019 - August 2021
SEMINAL: Student Engagement in Mathematics through an Institutional Network for Active Learning, Vandenbussche, J., Westlund, E., Ritter, L., & Callahan, K. M. National Science Foundation. $93,249, January 2018 - December 2020
Recent Publications
Vandenbussche, J., Callahan, K. M., Keating, K., Ritter, L., & Westlund, E. E. (2024). Strand Committees and Course Coordination: Complementary Structures to Drive Evidence-Based Improvements. PRIMUS, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970.2024.2352361
Callahan, K. M. (2021). Improving teaching and learning: Science and Mathematics Faculty Reflections on Teaching and Learning across Time. International Journal for Academic Development. DOI: 10.1080/1360144X.2021.2007099
Callahan, K. M., Williams, K.*, & Reese, S. (2020). Student Leaders as Agents of Change. In K. White, A. Beach, N. Finkelstein, C. Henderson, S. Simkins, L. Slakey, M. Stains, G. Weaver, & L. Whitehead (Eds.) Transforming Institutions: Accelerating Systemic Change in Higher Education. (pp. 239-247). Pressbooks. http://openbooks.library.umass.edu/ascnti2020/
Vandenbussche, J., Ritter, L., Callahan, K. M., & Westlund, E., (2020). Using Strand Committees to Build Faculty Support for Departmental Change. Problems, Resources, and Issues in Mathematics (PRIMUS) Journal. DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2020.1772916, USA
Smith, W. M., Callahan, K. M., Mingus, T., & Hodge, A. (2020). Improving Freshman-Level Mathematics Courses via Active Learning Mathematics Strategies. In W. G. Martin, B. R. Lawler, A. E. Lischka, and W. M. Smith (Eds.) The Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership: The Power of a Networked Improvement Community to Transform Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation. (pp. 143-175). Charlotte, NC, USA.
