Cheryl J. Craig

Cheryl J. Craig is Professor and Chair of Teaching & Teacher Education, holding the Houston Endowment Endowed Chair of Urban Education in Texas A&M University's Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture. As Founding Director of the Collaborative for Innovations in Teacher Education (CITE) and current Chair of the International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching (ISATT), she leads transformative initiatives in teacher preparation.

Her research employs narrative inquiry to investigate how educational reforms impact teachers' professional knowledge and practices in urban schools serving underserved children. Craig critically examines policy-driven changes to teachers' knowing, doing, and being, revealing unintended consequences for student learning through methodologically innovative studies bridging curriculum and teaching.

Recent publications (2021-2023) demonstrate sustained focus on equity-centered teacher education reform amid crises, with growing attention to STEM development, gender dynamics, and international perspectives. Her narrative methodology consistently highlights marginalized educators' counter-stories while analyzing systemic constraints on professional agency.

Craig's exceptional contributions have earned top honors including AERA Fellow status (2011) and dual Division K lifetime awards (2021), making her the only scholar to receive both Exemplary Research and Legacy Career Awards in the same year.

• AERA Fellow (2011)
• AERA Division B Curriculum Lifetime Achievement Award (2012)
• ISATT ST2AR Award for Exemplary Contributions (2019)
• AERA Division K Exemplary Research Award (2021)
• AERA Division K Legacy Career Award (2021)
• SEHD Senior Scholar Research Excellence Award (2022)
• Association of Former Students University-Level Distinguished Achievement Award (2023)

She has mentored 20 doctoral students whose dissertations explore narrative inquiries across diverse educational contexts, while leading major NSF grants addressing STEM equity including UH-ACCESS (2020-2025) and UH-LEAD (2018-2025).

• UH-ACCESS: Advancing Cultural and Computational Engagement in STEM Scholars (NSF, 2020-2025)
• UH-LEAD: Leadership through Equity and Advocacy Development (NSF, 2018-2025)
• STEM Scholarship Program with PARENT Support (NSF, 2018-2025)
• ESPRIT de Corps: Expanding STEM Professionals Roles in Teaching (NSF, 2018-2021)

Through CITE and the Portfolio Group (the world's oldest teacher research collective), Craig fosters knowledge communities that transform teacher education while promoting reciprocal learning among educators globally.