Angelina Castagno

Angelina Castagno is a Professor and Chair in Educational Leadership at Northern Arizona University, College of Education. She is actively engaged in research focused on Indigenous education, cultural responsiveness, and equity in educational systems, particularly within STEMM fields. Her work emphasizes the intersection of culture, ethics, and identity in schooling and higher education.

Research Interests: Her scholarship centers on Indigenous education, cultural responsiveness, educational equity, and STEMM access for marginalized communities. She investigates how cultural, spiritual, and ethical conflicts affect Indigenous students' educational trajectories and career decisions. Her work also critiques dominant leadership norms, such as the concept of 'niceness,' and their complicity in maintaining systemic inequities.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward methodological innovation in culturally responsive assessment and long-term professional development models for rural, Indigenous-serving schools. She frequently collaborates with scholars in Indigenous education and contributes to high-impact journals in education sciences and science education.

Scientific Contributions:

• Extensive research on Indigenous students in higher education and STEMM pathways
• Development of culturally responsive evaluation frameworks
• Critical analysis of educational leadership and organizational culture

She advises on issues of equity and inclusion in educational policy and practice. Her work is supported by ongoing scholarly output and collaboration networks focused on Indigenous-serving institutions. She is affiliated with research initiatives that aim to strengthen STEM teaching in rural and Indigenous communities through sustained, culturally grounded professional development.