Yolanda Kirkpatrick, PhD

Co-Director of Undergraduate Studies; Co-Coordinator of VolsTeach and Clinical Associate Professor, VolsTeach, STEM Education/Science

Biography

Yolanda Kirkpatrick is a clinical associate professor for STEM Education/Science, co-director of TPTE Undergraduate Studies, and co-coordinator of VolsTeach . She supports teacher preparation and field supervision of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and job-embedded candidates while teaching courses within the VolsTeach program. She has supported diverse learners in urban and rural communities as a teacher and mentor with AmeriCorps, Children’s Defense Fund, Project Grad, and the University of Tennessee’s Math and Science Center.

Kirkpatrick earned a doctoral degree in science education, a master’s degree in microbiology, and a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Professional Background

Research

Professor Kirkpatrick’s professional experiences and goals include culturally responsive teaching, diverse classrooms and schools, active/alternative learning, and instructional strategies that successfully increase student retention in STEM.

Kirkpatrick seizes opportunities to collaborate her work with mentor teachers, school partners, professional development, and to work with teacher performance assessment models. She regularly presents her scholarship(s) at conferences.