Frank Fernandez

Frank Fernandez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Education. His research explores higher education's societal role through three interconnected strands: equity in knowledge production, higher education as a social institution, and anti-racist policy evaluation. He teaches graduate courses in organizational theory and education finance.

Dr. Fernandez's research focuses on:

• Higher education's role in post-industrial knowledge economies
• Equity issues in scientific research production
• Policy impacts on diverse student/faculty groups
• Anti-racist approaches to educational policy

His publications demonstrate strong emphasis on educational equity, policy analysis, and academic freedom, with recent work examining STEM education pathways, faculty gender equity initiatives, and critical race theory applications. Research consistently addresses systemic inequities through mixed-methods approaches.

Awards and honors include:

• Fellowship at UC Center for Free Speech & Civic Engagement (2023-2024)
• Academic Freedom Research Fellowship (2022)
• Book of the Year Award from AAHHE (2022)
• PROSE Award in Education Theory (2018)
• International Research Award from ASHE (2017)

Dr. Fernandez actively contributes to media discourse through publications in The Conversation, Diverse Education, and Times Higher Education. He collaborates with research teams examining policy impacts across international contexts and mentors graduate students in education policy research.