Four associate research directors recently were selected to help the Institute for Community and Society Transformation realize its strategic vision and goals: Paul Spicer, a professor of anthropology in the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences; Diane Horm, the George Kaiser Family Foundation Endowed Chair of Early Childhood Education of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education and the founding director of the Early Childhood Education Institute; Matthew Jensen, a Presidential Associate Professor of Management Information Systems in the Price College Business; and Brittany L. Hott, an associate professor of special education in the Department of Educational Psychology in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education.
“Our associate directors bring a diverse range of expertise, skills and interests to ICAST,” said Shane Connelly, the institute’s director and a professor of psychology. “The collective expertise of these associate directors in working on convergent research across campuses and their enthusiasm for applied research and scholarship will enable and promote ICAST’s success and social impact. It’s very exciting to have them as part of the ICAST leadership team.”
Upon completing her sabbatical leave, Horm will assume the associate director role on July 1, 2022. Horm’s interests focus on three major areas: conducting applied research in partnership with early childhood education programs; building and supporting a qualified early childhood workforce; and building the capacity of OU to conduct meaningful interdisciplinary research to support young children’s development and wellbeing. Through the ECEI, Horm leads several applied research initiatives in early childhood education, including program evaluation research in collaboration with Tulsa’s Educare programs and a large, multi-year study with colleagues from Georgetown and McGill universities to investigate children’s development from pre-K through grade 4. She has a doctorate in child development with a specialization in early childhood education, a post-master’s specialization in school psychology, and a master’s degree in developmental psychology.
“It is great to see the result of the OVPRP strategic planning result in the launch of the ICAST this past fall,” Horm said. “I am excited to join the effort and work with Shane, the other ICAST associate directors, and OU researchers across our three campuses to foster interdisciplinary research at OU to answer pressing questions related to improving the wellbeing of children and families across Oklahoma and our nation.”
Hott’s interests include school-based interventions, program evaluation and the effective translation of special education research to rural practice. Her work focuses on supporting underserved, under resourced and under researched rural schools. Hott is the recipient of the 2021 American Council on Rural Special Education Research and Evaluation Award. She serves as the immediate past president of the International Council for Learning Disabilities and is co-chairing a national work group charged with developing a coordinated, equity-centered rural education research agenda. She earned her doctorate in education from George Mason University and is a board-certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral.
“I am honored to serve ICAST with Director Shane Connelly, OU’s associate directors, community partners and researchers to collectively address pressing health and education challenges,” Hott said. “Leveraging the strength of the ICAST team of researchers and community partners will provide the unique opportunity to bolster access and opportunity for individuals with disabilities in Oklahoma and beyond. I am excited to engage in these efforts.”
