Gwen Marchand

Gwen Marchand, Ph.D. is the Associate Vice President for Research and a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She formerly served as Associate Dean of Research and Sponsored Projects in the UNLV College of Education and as Director of the UNLV Center for Research, Evaluation, and Assessment.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Systems Science: Psychology, Portland State University, 2008 – emphasis in human development, student motivation & engagement, and quantitative research methods

Research Interests:

Professor Marchand’s scholarship applies complexity theory and mixed-methods designs to study student motivation and engagement, classroom systems, student mobility, and collaborative team processes. Her interdisciplinary work emphasizes research-practice partnerships and systems-level understanding of educational phenomena.

Current focal areas include:

• Motivational development of school-aged children
• Social and personal determinants of student engagement
• Teacher instructional supports for motivation in science classrooms
• Program evaluation and evidence-based educational innovation

Publications & Scholarly Impact:

Across 40+ peer-reviewed works since 2004, Marchand’s research spans complex dynamic systems, mixed-methods innovations, motivational theory, and science education reform. Recent outputs (2020-2024) converge on applying systems perspectives to classroom dynamics and translating motivational theory into scalable teacher professional-development programs.

Professional Service & Leadership:

• Program Chair & Treasurer, Division 15 (Educational Psychology), American Psychological Association (APA)
• Secretary/Treasurer, Complexity Theories in Education SIG, American Educational Research Association (AERA)
• President, Scholarly Consortium for Innovative Psychology in Education (SCIPIE)
• Editorial Boards: Journal of Educational Psychology, Contemporary Educational Psychology
• Guest Co-Editor, special issues on complex systems (Journal of Experimental Education) and mixed-methods (Contemporary Educational Psychology)

Teaching & Mentoring:

Marchand regularly teaches graduate courses in advanced research methods, program evaluation, motivation theory, and quantitative analyses. Her interdisciplinary mentorship spans educational psychology, systems science, and STEM education research.

Administrative Oversight:

• Office of Sponsored Programs
• Office of Clinical Trials
• Office of Research Integrity
• Interdisciplinary research development initiatives and strategic planning

Funding:

Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and numerous state and local agencies, evidencing broad recognition of her expertise and translational impact.