Bic Ngo

Bic Ngo is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota. She is also the Rodney S. Wallace Professor for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. Her research and leadership center on culturally relevant pedagogy, urban and multicultural education, and immigrant education, with a deep focus on Hmong American and Lao American communities in the Twin Cities.

Education:

• PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Research Interests:

Bic Ngo’s scholarship critically examines how culture, race, class, and gender shape the educational experiences of immigrant students. Her work explores how schools and educators can adopt anti-oppressive and culturally responsive practices to mitigate inequality. She draws on critical, cultural, and feminist theories, engaging with scholars like Homi Bhabha, Michel Foucault, and Judith Butler. Her ethnographic studies with Hmong and Lao American youth reveal the complexities of identity, cultural difference, and the impact of schooling on community and family life.

Research Projects & Grants:

• Project Thrive (2020–2026): $1.5 million AANAPISI grant from the U.S. Department of Education
• Asian American College Excellence (AACE) Project (2016–2021): $1.75 million AANAPISI grant from the U.S. Department of Education

Editorial & Leadership Roles:

• Co-Editor-in-Chief, Educational Studies
• Associate Editor, American Educational Research Journal
• Associate Editor, Anthropology & Education Quarterly

Courses Taught:

• CI 8146 – Critical Ethnography in Education
• CI 8156 – Asian American Education
• CI 8155 – Immigrant Families and U.S. Schools
• CI 8154 – Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
• CI 8148 – Conducting Qualitative Studies in Educational Contexts
• CI 8131 – Critical Examination of Curriculum in Context