Lam D. Pham

Lam D. Pham is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development at North Carolina State University. He holds a Ph.D. in K-12 Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Vanderbilt University (2020) and a B.A. in Chemistry from Harvard University (2011). His research focuses on education policy, school reform, and equitable distribution of teachers and principals in low-performing schools.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., K-12 Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Vanderbilt University, 2020
  • B.A., Chemistry, Harvard University, 2011
• Research Interests:
  • Personnel policies (compensation, professional learning, performance evaluation)
  • Equitable access to effective educators
  • Quantitative analysis of school turnaround programs
  • Mediating pathways in policy effectiveness
• Scientific Awards:
  • Emerging Scholar Award, AERA School Turnaround and Reform Special Interest Group
  • Fulbright Scholar, Vietnam
  • Equity and Inclusion Fellowship, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
  • Barbara L. Jackson Scholar, University Council for Educational Administration
  • Russell G. Hamilton Dissertation Enhancement Grant
• Recent Article Trends:
  • 2025: Flexible school restart programs in North Carolina
  • 2024: Long-term effects of school turnaround, accountability-driven segregation
  • 2023: Spillover effects of teacher transfers, mediating pathways
  • 2022-2020: Teacher attrition, merit pay, multiyear evaluations

Pham’s work combines quantitative methods with policy evaluation to address systemic inequities in education. His teaching includes Applied Quantitative Methods in Education courses, and he has collaborated with institutions like Tennessee’s Achievement School District and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.