Dionne Cross Francis

Dionne Cross Francis is the Joseph R. Neikirk Term Professor at the UNC School of Education, affiliated with the Culture, Curriculum, and Teacher Education (CCTE) and Learning Sciences and Psychological Studies (LSPS) programs. Her work bridges mathematics education, educational psychology, and teacher education, focusing on contextual and teacher-specific factors influencing instructional practices and professional development design.

Education:

• Ph.D., 2007 – University of Georgia, Educational Psychology
• M.A., 2004 – Wake Forest University, Education
• B.A., 1997 – University of West Indies, Mathematics

Her research interests include teacher identity development, equity in STEM, holistic professional development, and the role of emotions in teaching. She explores how systemic and individual factors impact teacher effectiveness, particularly for marginalized educators and students.

Recent publications emphasize culturally responsive teaching, digital simulations in teacher training, and intersectional identities in education. Her work highlights innovative methods like counterstorytelling to disrupt inequitable practices in educational psychology research.

Labs/Teams: Active in the CCTE and LSPS programs, collaborating on initiatives such as equity-focused STEM curricula and teacher wellbeing interventions.