Two Department of Educational Psychology students—Reese Butterfuss, a psychological foundations of education PhD student, and Jordan Thayer, a school psychology PhD student—have been awarded Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships (DDFs) by the University of Minnesota’s Graduate School.

DDFs give the University’s most accomplished PhD candidates an opportunity to devote full-time effort to an outstanding research project by providing time to finalize and write a dissertation during the fellowship year.

Reese’s dissertation will examine how knowledge revision unfolds when learners engage with sources that conflict with their prior knowledge. His adviser is professor and Guy Bond Chair in Reading Panayiota (Pani) Kendeou.

In his dissertation, Jordan will seek to integrate different theoretical perspectives regarding how teachers influence student engagement. Jordan’s primary adviser is associate professor and John W. and Nancy E. Peyton Faculty Fellow in Child and Adolescent Wellbeing Clayton Cook and secondary adviser is associate professor Amanda Sullivan.

Congratulations to Reese and Jordan on their tremendous accomplishments!