As the new assistant vice chancellor for research inclusion and outreach strategy, Jen Iriti helps large multidisciplinary research proposal teams (potentially multi-university) build their diversity, equity, inclusion, outreach and workforce development components to produce coherent and high leverage designs.

Iriti completed her Ph.D. in developmental and educational psychology at Pitt, and, while a graduate student, began her now 23-year career at the Learning Research and Development Center, first as a research associate and now as a research scientist. She leads two applied research teams, one focused on evaluating education programs, initiatives and organizations, and the other focused on providing research, evaluation and strategy support for improvement networks. Iriti has worked extensively with education organizations in the Western Pennsylvania region and nationally with organizations focused on equity in postsecondary access and success.

Her publications include articles in journals such as the American Journal of Evaluation, Educational Technology Research and Development, Education Finance and Policy and the International Journal of Educational Development as well as two book chapters and innumerable technical reports. Iriti is co-editor of the recently released “Free College Handbook: A Practitioner’s Guide to Promise Research” that translates nearly two decades of research to support policymakers at the federal, state and local levels.

In addition to her role as a Research Scientist at LRDC, she is also a Faculty Fellow with the Center for Urban Education and a Research Affiliate with the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.