Niral Shah

Niral Shah is an Associate Professor in the Learning Sciences & Human Development Department at the University of Washington’s College of Education. He holds an affiliate faculty position at the Banks Center for Educational Justice. His work focuses on racial equity in STEM education, specifically how racial narratives impact student identity and participation. Shah co-developed the EQUIP classroom observation tool to address implicit bias in educational settings.

Dr. Shah earned a B.S. in Economics and B.A.S. in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania (2002), followed by M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Education (Mathematics, Science & Technology) from UC Berkeley (2010-2013). His research bridges qualitative methods, critical race theory, and learning sciences to challenge systemic inequities in education.

Shah’s research interests include anti-racist pedagogy, teacher education for justice, and equity analytics. His work examines how racial ideologies shape educational outcomes and how educators can disrupt oppressive structures through intentional design of learning environments.

• Awards: 2022 Journal for Research in Mathematics Education Outstanding Reviewer, 2021 UW Outstanding Faculty Advisor, Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017)
• Key Projects: Co-developer of the EQUIP bias mitigation tool, studies on STEM racial narratives

His advising and grant work focuses on preparing educators who actively confront racial inequities. Shah collaborates with the Banks Center to advance educational justice initiatives and has contributed to national dialogues on diversifying teacher pipelines.