Allison M. Ryan

Allison M. Ryan is a Professor at the Marsal Family School of Education, University of Michigan. Her research focuses on student motivation, peer relations, and classroom environments during middle childhood to early adolescence. She has held editorial roles at the Journal of Educational Psychology and received prestigious awards from the American Psychological Association.

• Education: PhD in Combined Program in Education and Psychology from University of Michigan (1998)
• Career: Worked at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2000-2011) before returning to University of Michigan

Her research examines how classroom settings and peer networks shape academic and social development. Notable projects include longitudinal studies on middle school transitions and classroom observation studies funded by the Spencer Foundation. Key themes include teacher practices, peer support systems, and motivational climates in educational settings.

• Grants: Teacher Practices in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms (2010-2011)
• Awards: APA Division 15 Dissertation Award (2000), Snow Award for Early Research Contributions (2008)

Ryan advises doctoral students in the Motivation in the Classroom course (EDUC 709) and collaborates on projects analyzing social networks and academic adjustment. Her work bridges developmental psychology and educational policy to improve classroom environments.