Sarah Pinkelman

Sarah Pinkelman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University (WMU) and serves as the Behavior Analysis Program Assistant Chair. With over 20 years of experience in special education and applied behavior analysis (ABA), she focuses on bridging research and practice in educational settings. Her roles include teaching, research, and leadership in behavior analysis.

Dr. Pinkelman earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Oregon (2014), M.S. in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas (2010), and B.S. from Bowling Green State University (2003). She previously held faculty positions at Utah State University and George Mason University.

Her research emphasizes implementation science, school-wide positive behavioral interventions (SWPBIS), and ethical research methods. She prioritizes socially valid approaches to improve teacher implementation of interventions and equitable scaling of evidence-based practices in schools.

Her work spans topics like classroom behavior management, curriculum adoption analysis, and reducing restraint/seclusion in schools. She maintains a lab website (www.pinkelmanlab.com) for collaborative research and resources.