Michelle Friend

Michelle Friend is an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska Omaha and currently serves as an ORCA Faculty Fellow in the Office of Research and Creative Activity. Her work centers on advancing computer science education through the PrepareCS project, which collaborates with Schools of Education nationwide to develop CS teacher preparation programs.

Education

• Ph.D. in Learning Science and Technology Design from Stanford University

Research Interests
Dr. Friend specializes in computer science education with a focus on interdisciplinary STEM connections and teacher preparation. She actively integrates computer science into educator training and champions Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) to enhance research accessibility for students. Her initiatives bridge K-12 computer science pedagogy with higher education program development.

Scientific Awards
No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text.

Advising and Grants
Dr. Friend co-leads the PrepareCS project, a grant-funded national initiative supporting universities in building CS teacher education infrastructure. Her ORCA fellowship directly funds her work on scaling undergraduate research opportunities through CUREs. The text provides no details about student advisees or additional grants.