Whitney McCoy

Whitney McCoy is a Research Scientist at Duke University’s Center for Child and Family Policy, specializing in community-engaged research focused on educational environments, STEM education, and educator development. Her work emphasizes improving K-12 learning through curriculum design, professional development, and strategies to enhance student well-being and engagement, particularly in engineering and technology education.

Education:

• B.S. in Biology, Winston-Salem State University
• M.A. in Teaching, UNC Charlotte
• Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Learning Science (Educational Psychology), NC State University

Research Focus: Dr. McCoy employs advanced qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to examine systemic inequities in education, including racial microaggressions, Black student success, and the role of counterspaces in fostering resilience. She collaborates with community partners to design culturally relevant curricula and advocate for anti-racist pedagogical practices.

Key Contributions: Her recent work includes groundbreaking studies on racial microaggressions in higher education, critical race mixed methodology (CRMM), and the intersection of African American language in children’s literature. She has been awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and the Outstanding Dissertation of the Year.

Professional Background: Prior to her current role, she served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Virginia, leading a randomized control trial on computer science professional development for elementary teachers. She also has six years of K-6 teaching experience, specializing in curriculum development.