Cathy Corbin is an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) postdoctoral fellow in the School Mental Health Assessment, Research, and Training (SMART) Center at the University of Washington.
How does this job relate to your studies at NYU?
Much of my time in the Education and Social Policy program at NYU was spent learning about systems that support or inhibit effective educational policy, and the role quantitative methods play in helping us to cultivate a deeper understanding of those systems and relevant educational outcomes. My current work follows in the same vein – leveraging rigorous quantitative methods to better understand developmental systems proximal to teachers and students (e.g., teacher-student relationships) to inform interventions that will ultimately support both to thrive in educational settings.
What was something you especially value from your time at NYU Steinhardt? Was there a course or professor or particular challenge that sticks with you?
I often reflect on how powerful it was to develop through a program that leveraged several of the social sciences (e.g., sociology, economics, psychology) to contextualize the education policy landscape. The interdisciplinary approach paired with rigorous quantitative training was invaluable to me understanding the rich and varied ways policy comes to be and comes to be evaluated.
How did you end up in your current role?
After graduating from NYU, I worked at MDRC (social policy research firm) for a few years before moving onto University of Virginia where I earned my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Applied Developmental Science. My doctoral studies were funded through IES (IES pre-doctoral fellowship), which also offers postdoctoral fellowships at several universities. I had such a positive experience with my pre-doctoral training (rigorous methods training, heavy research focus, great networking opportunities) that I decided to apply for an IES postdoc that I thought was a good fit.
Do you have any tips for networking on growing in the field?
I would say three things.
1. Your peers are and will be a key network for you. Everyone told me this and it is true. I remain in contact with several people from my time at NYU and in addition to being wonderful people, they are smart, well-connected, and doing really cool things in the education space both in U.S. and internationally.
2. Aim for an expansive network. We all have so much to learn from people with different roles, training, expertise, etc. Don’t fall into the trap of narrowing your network to only those doing the thing you’re interested in. It’s amazing how much more we’re all able to contribute when we broaden our lenses and experiences.
3. Listen to what those in your network are sharing. I often felt the need to be ready with a smart/novel comment or idea, but enter conversations and relationships at least as ready to listen as ready talk.
What's next for you? What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years?
I will be applying for tenure track assistant professor positions over the next two years and hope to secure a career in academia. My long term goal is to blend developmental and implementation sciences to most effectively bring evidence-based social-emotional practices and programs to teachers and students.