Nicole Mittenfelner Carl

Dr. Nicole Mittenfelner Carl serves as Director of the Urban Teaching Residency (UTR) master’s program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE). She previously led the Collaboratory for Teacher Education’s initiatives on mentoring and equity in teacher education. Holding a doctorate in Educational Leadership from UPenn (2017), she has extensive experience as a middle school English teacher in Philadelphia and a mentor for novice educators since 2008. Her work emphasizes bridging theory and practice through applied research.

Education:

• PhD in Educational Leadership, University of Pennsylvania, 2017
• Middle School Teaching Experience (5 years) in School District of Philadelphia

Research Interests: Qualitative research methodologies, practitioner-driven research, equity in education, mentoring strategies, and sociocultural influences on schooling. Her seminal text Qualitative Research: Bridging the Conceptual, Theoretical, and Methodological provides frameworks for educators. Recent work focuses on how schools can use research to address systemic inequities and improve outcomes for marginalized communities.

Awards:

• 2008: Drexel University Make a Difference Award for Mentoring and Teaching
• Korn Fellowship supporting impact assessment research at Penn GSE

Advising & Grants: Co-developed mentoring curricula for teacher residency programs. Collaborates with school leaders across Pennsylvania and New Jersey to implement research-driven reforms. Her Mellon Fellowship (2005) supported early qualitative work.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Urban Teaching Residency program, integrating classroom practice with academic theory. Active in the Collaboratory for Teacher Education’s equity-focused initiatives.