Terrell R. Morton

Dr. Terrell R. Morton is an Assistant Professor of Identity and Justice in STEM Education at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), within the Department of Educational Psychology in the College of Education. His research focuses on Black students' identity development and systemic barriers in STEM education, leveraging Critical Race Theory (CRT) to challenge institutional racism. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from UNC Chapel-Hill, with prior degrees in Chemistry and Neuroscience.

Education:

• B.S. Chemistry, North Carolina A&T State University
• M.S. Neuroscience, University of Miami
• Ph.D. Education (Learning Sciences/Psychological Studies), UNC Chapel-Hill

Research Interests: Dr. Morton's work centers on transforming STEM learning environments to prioritize Black students' identity and joy. He employs CRT, phenomenology, and human development frameworks to analyze racialized experiences. Key themes include:

• Anti-Blackness in STEM education
• Black student persistence strategies
• Critical race methodologies in research

Grants & Leadership: As Principal Investigator of an $8.8M NSF Racial Equity grant (2021), he co-leads the Black epiSTEMologies project. Additional leadership includes roles in the American Educational Research Association's Equity and Inclusion Council. His grants total over $13M in funding.

Awards: Honors include the 2024 Early Career Research Award (NARST) and recognition as one of '1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America.'

Labs/Initiatives: He directs the Black epiSTEMologies Research Group and co-leads the Re-Envisioning Culture Network (REC), which seeks to reform undergraduate biology education for Black students.