Josh Radinsky

Josh Radinsky is an Associate Professor of the Learning Sciences in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Illinois Chicago's College of Education. He holds leadership roles including Director of Graduate Studies for the Learning Sciences PhD program, UIC Faculty Senate member, and representative in the UIC United Faculty union. His research focuses on teaching and learning with visual data in history/social science classrooms, museums, and public spaces, emphasizing GIS tools and critical data literacy. He has led NSF-funded projects on spatial reasoning and collaborative data analysis.

Education: PhD in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University (2000), BA in Comparative History from University of Michigan (1985). His work bridges disciplinary inquiry with community-based design, addressing equity issues through participatory methods. He has served as Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of the Learning Sciences and is a Fellow of the International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Research highlights include studies on racial data literacy, geospatial analysis of education policy, and pandemic-era data practices. His grants total over $5M, including NEH and NSF initiatives. Professional contributions include designing curricula for pre-service teachers and co-developing museum exhibits like CoCensus for demographic engagement.

Awards recognize his early career impact (NSF 2010) and sustained contributions to the field (ISLS Fellow 2016). His advising focuses on preparing scholars to address educational inequities through innovative data practices, with active collaborations in urban schools and community organizations.