Professor Panayiota (Pani) Kendeou of the Department of Educational Psychology’s psychological foundations of education program and Professor LeAnne Johnson of the special education program have both recently been promoted by the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents.

Kendeou, also director of graduate studies and Guy Bond Chair in Reading, will now be a full professor of educational psychology effective fall 2018. Kendeou’s research is focused in the areas of reading comprehension, cognitive processes, learning and technology, and misinformation. She is the director of the Reading + Language lab here at the University of Minnesota which goal is to improve reading comprehension and identify conditions that can reduce the impact of misinformation and misconceptions during reading.

Johnson, program coordinator for the early childhood special education MEd and licensure program, has been promoted to an associate professor of educational psychology effective fall 2018. Johnson is an affiliate faculty member of the Institute for Translational Research in Children’s Mental Health and a core faculty member for the OSEP funded National Center for Leadership on Intensive Interventions (#H325H140001).  Johnson’s research interests are intervention-oriented with a focus on improving outcomes for preschool and elementary school-aged children who are at high risk given social, emotional, behavioral, and communication needs.

Congratulations to Professor Kendeou and Associate Professor Johnson on their tremendous accomplishments!