William Merchant

William Merchant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Statistics and Research Methods at the University of Northern Colorado, part of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. He holds a PhD in Evaluation and Measurement from Kent State University (2015), an MEd in Rehabilitation Counseling (2011), and a BA in Psychology (2008). His research focuses on program evaluation theory, structural equation modeling, disability studies, and measurement validation. He has consulted for the National Science Foundation (NSF) on environmental chemistry education projects and served as a statistical consultant for journals like the International Journal of Aging and Human Development. His work bridges statistical methodologies with applied contexts in education, aging, and healthcare.

Merchant’s professional experience includes roles as an Assistant Professor at UNC (2017–present) and Widener University (2015–2017). He has contributed to interdisciplinary research on custodial grandparenting dynamics, mixed-methods educational evaluations, and psychometric instrument development. His recent publications explore topics such as autonomous professional development models in education, validation of assessment tools, and family stress models in custodial grandfamilies.

• Education:
  • PhD, Kent State University, 2015 (Evaluation and Measurement)
  • MEd, Kent State University, 2011 (Rehabilitation Counseling)
  • BA, Keene State College, 2008 (Psychology)
• Grants & Consulting:
  • NSF Consultant: Bridging Theoretical and Applied Environmental Chemistry (Award #1140980)
  • Statistical Consultant for International Journal of Aging and Human Development

His research emphasizes rigorous statistical approaches to solving real-world problems in education and social sciences, with a focus on stakeholder-informed methodologies.