Sandra Schmidt

Sandra Schmidt is an Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at the Graduate School of Education, Health & Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her academic work bridges geography, gender studies, and critical social theory, with a focus on civic education and postcolonial perspectives.

• Education: Ph.D. from Michigan State University, M.A. from University of Michigan, B.A. from Swarthmore College

Her research interests include Geography Education, Critical Social Theory in Geography, Civic Education, and Gender and Queer Theory. She explores socio-spatial intersections, particularly among African migrant youth in the U.S., and investigates how spatial arrangements in schools perpetuate or challenge inequities.

Recent publications analyze:

• Queer TikTok creators as educational agents
• Spatial inequality during pandemics
• Postcolonial narratives in national museums
• Queer spatial theory in classrooms
• Transnational socio-spatial fields

These works emphasize spatial literacy and marginalized identities in educational contexts.

Scientific Awards

• 2012-3 Provost's Investment Fund 'Merging Landscapes'
• 2012 Kipchoge Neftali Kirkland Social Justice Paper Award
• 2011 Outstanding Paper Award from AERA Queer Studies SIG
• 2011 AAUW American Fellow
• 2008 Michigan State University Excellence-In-Teaching Citation