Meghan J. Pifer

Meghan J. Pifer is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation at the University of Kentucky. Prior roles include Chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Development at the University of Louisville, Co-Principal Investigator for the U.S. Army’s Master Educator Course, and instructor at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business. She holds a PhD in Higher Education from Penn State, an EdM from Boston University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

Her research focuses on two core areas: (1) faculty professional development, including doctoral education, academic department dynamics, and institutional support systems; and (2) military-connected populations, addressing education transitions, teaching strategies, and institutional policies for veterans and military-affiliated students. She also explores organizational structures and identity formation in higher education.

Her recent scholarship examines ROTC programs, mid-career faculty development, and equity-minded leadership. Notable projects include analyzing military-to-civilian transitions, women’s leadership in academia, and systemic barriers faced by working-class academics.

Pifer has co-authored/co-edited books such as *Success After Tenure: Supporting Mid-Career Faculty* and *Mentoring Undergraduate Students*. She has directed Army-funded initiatives like the 2020 MEC Fellowship Program and currently leads UK’s Department of Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation.