Peabody College of education and human development celebrated the 30th anniversary of its merger with the university by announcing that six of its faculty are the recipients of named chairs.
“The six professors receiving these chairs are high-impact individuals who make important contributions to the practice of education or psychology,” says Camilla Benbow, Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development, who adds that the chairs are “our way of recognizing their accomplishments and of signifying to the world that Peabody is a place where great intellects gather and interact.”
The new chair holders are:
Len Bickman, Betts Chair. Bickman is professor of psychology and psychiatry, associate dean for research, director of the Center for Evaluation and Program Improvement, and an investigator in the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. He is an expert in program evaluation and research on mental health services for children and adolescents.
David Cole, Patricia and Rodes Hart Chair. Cole is chair of the Department of Psychology and Human Development, professor of psychology, and an investigator in the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Cole’s interests encompass developmental psychopathology and childhood depression.
Ellen Goldring, Patricia and Rodes Hart Chair. Goldring is professor of educational policy and leadership and incoming chair of the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations. Her research focuses on school reform efforts and the changing roles of school leaders.
James Guthrie, Patricia and Rodes Hart Chair of Educational Leadership and Policy. Guthrie is professor of public policy and education, director of the Peabody Center for Education Policy, executive director of the National Center on Performance Incentives at Vanderbilt, and has served as chair of the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations for the past 10 years.
Rich Lehrer, Frank W. Mayborn Chair. An internationally recognized scholar in the field of mathematics and science education, Lehrer is a professor of science education.
Joseph F. Murphy, Frank W. Mayborn Chair. Murphy is professor of education and associate dean of Peabody College, a scholar in the field of school administration, and a leading advocate for school leadership reforms.
News of the chairs coincides with Peabody’s recent ranking as the No. 1 graduate school of education in the nation by U.S. News & World Report magazine. Peabody is the first Vanderbilt graduate or professional school to receive the No. 1 distinction in the history of U.S. News rankings.
Vanderbilt’s schools of medicine, law, business and engineering also are ranked in the graduate school listings in the April 28 issue of the magazine, along with Vanderbilt programs in history, English and psychology.