Meet the Team
Dr. Hiller A. Spires is a Distinguished Graduate Professor of Literacy and Technology in NC State University’s College of Education. She received her Ph.D. in literacy education from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Spires served as the founding director of The William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation from 2002-2006 and currently serves as FI Senior Research Fellow. Her research focuses on the effects of digital literacies on learning, including emerging literacies associated with gaming environments, and on inquiry-based disciplinary literacy for middle and high school teachers and students. Her publications have appeared in the Journal of Educational Psychology, Cognition & Instruction, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Literacy Research & Instruction, Computers and Education, and Journal of Research in Technology Education.Dr. Spires led the development of the New Literacies & Global Learning graduate program and co-directs the Friday Institute’s New Literacies Collaborative (www.newlit.org). For her ongoing work with teachers in China, Dr. Spires received the Jackson Rigney International Service Award in 2011 from NC State University for her work with teachers in China. Currently, she is working with Beijing Royal School (http://en.bjroyalschool.com/) and Suzhou North American High School (http://www.sna-edu.com/en/main.asp).
Erin Lyjak is a research associate at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, working with the New Literacies Collaborative. She received her Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from Radford University. Ms. Lyjak has been in the field of educational research for over 15 years. She has worked a wide range of educational studies (digital literacies, disciplinary literacy, standardized testing) and worked with students and teachers both nationally and internationally (New Literacies Teacher Leader Institutes, Summer/Winter Camps). Ms. Lyjak is currently working on the development of the Disciplinary Literacy for Deeper Learning MOOC-Ed course and the project manager for Suzhou North American High School: Connecting to the Future project.
Marie Himes is a research associate at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. She received her bachelor of arts in international politics and international studies from the Pennsylvania State University in 2008 and a master of education in curriculum and instruction from Penn State in 2012. Prior to graduate school, Marie taught English as a second language in Schweinfurt, Germany as a Fulbright Grantee and interned as a policy and communications aide on Capitol Hill. After earning her master's degree, Marie taught high school social studies for a year in central Pennsylvania, and then relocated to North Carolina where she taught middle school English language arts and social studies for an additional year. At the Friday Institute, Marie is working within the New Literacies Collaborative as the curriculum specialist for the Suzhou North America High School: Connecting to the Future Project and as the coordinator for the PBI Global Initiative.
Chang Yuan (Jennifer) obtained her Master of Arts in Teaching degree in 2013 from North Carolina State University. Following graduation she started teaching AP Economics at Beijing Royal School in China. In 2014, she was a visiting scholar at The Friday Institute at NCSU. Currently, Chang Yuan is pursuing her PhD Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at North Carolina State University.
Casey Medlock is a Ph.D. student at NCSU. She earned her B.A. in English and Spanish from Samford University and then went on to obtain her M.A. in Spanish Secondary Education from the University of Alabama. Afterwards, she taught high school Spanish for 3 years. She moved to Raleigh to attend NCSU, where she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in literacy. Her research interests are varied, but include digital and information literacy and disciplinary literacy.
Erin Lyjak is a research associate at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, working with the New Literacies Collaborative. She received her Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from Radford University. Ms. Lyjak has been in the field of educational research for over 15 years. She has worked a wide range of educational studies (digital literacies, disciplinary literacy, standardized testing) and worked with students and teachers both nationally and internationally (New Literacies Teacher Leader Institutes, Summer/Winter Camps). Ms. Lyjak is currently working on the development of the Disciplinary Literacy for Deeper Learning MOOC-Ed course and the project manager for Suzhou North American High School: Connecting to the Future project.
Marie Himes is a research associate at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation. She received her bachelor of arts in international politics and international studies from the Pennsylvania State University in 2008 and a master of education in curriculum and instruction from Penn State in 2012. Prior to graduate school, Marie taught English as a second language in Schweinfurt, Germany as a Fulbright Grantee and interned as a policy and communications aide on Capitol Hill. After earning her master's degree, Marie taught high school social studies for a year in central Pennsylvania, and then relocated to North Carolina where she taught middle school English language arts and social studies for an additional year. At the Friday Institute, Marie is working within the New Literacies Collaborative as the curriculum specialist for the Suzhou North America High School: Connecting to the Future Project and as the coordinator for the PBI Global Initiative.
Chang Yuan (Jennifer) obtained her Master of Arts in Teaching degree in 2013 from North Carolina State University. Following graduation she started teaching AP Economics at Beijing Royal School in China. In 2014, she was a visiting scholar at The Friday Institute at NCSU. Currently, Chang Yuan is pursuing her PhD Degree in Curriculum and Instruction at North Carolina State University.
Casey Medlock is a Ph.D. student at NCSU. She earned her B.A. in English and Spanish from Samford University and then went on to obtain her M.A. in Spanish Secondary Education from the University of Alabama. Afterwards, she taught high school Spanish for 3 years. She moved to Raleigh to attend NCSU, where she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in literacy. Her research interests are varied, but include digital and information literacy and disciplinary literacy.