Jessica Gladstone

Jessica Gladstone is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's College of Education. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Development and Quantitative Methodology from the University of Maryland, specializing in Developmental Science and Educational Psychology, with additional credentials in Measurement, Statistics, and Evaluation. Her academic background includes an M.A. in Applied Experimental Psychology and a B.A. in Psychology (Honors) from the University of West Florida.

Dr. Gladstone's research program examines three interconnected strands: (1) How socializers (parents, teachers, peers) influence STEM motivation, (2) Longitudinal relationships between motivation, engagement, and academic achievement, and (3) Critical analysis of grit's role in educational outcomes. She employs diverse methodologies including longitudinal surveys, experiments, focus groups, and content analysis across PreK-college populations.

Her recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate strong emphasis on motivational frameworks, equity in STEM education, and methodological rigor. Key themes include growth mindset interventions, role model efficacy studies, psychometric validation of motivation measures, and systematic reviews of educational technologies. Work frequently appears in top journals like Journal of Educational Psychology, Science Education, and Computers & Education.

She currently leads the Bridging Learning Opportunities, Outcomes and Motivation (BLOOM) Lab, focusing on achievement motivation through situated expectancy-value theory and social cognitive frameworks. Current grants include the NSF-funded INVITE Institute ($19.9M) where she contributes to AI-augmented learning research. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses including EPSY 201 (Educational Psychology) and EPSY 400 (Psychology of Learning in Education).