Yoi Tibbetts

Yoi Tibbetts serves as a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Education Leadership, Foundations & Policy at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development, with affiliations at the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning and leadership of the Motivate Lab.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. (2017) and M.S. (2012) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A. (2009) from Swarthmore College.

Dr. Tibbetts' research centers on motivation and achievement for traditionally underrepresented students in higher education, examining how educational opportunities drive upward social mobility. She develops practitioner-partnered interventions leveraging student values—including personal values shaping educational experiences and perceived curricular value—to enhance motivation and learning climates. Additional projects focus on optimal athlete motivation strategies.

Her recent scholarship analyzes learning mindsets in medical education contexts, revealing connections between mindset interventions and reductions in student burnout, with implications for mental health in high-stress academic environments.

Dr. Tibbetts directs the Motivate Lab and leads initiatives including Learning Mindset Supports in Postsecondary Advising, Infusing Georgia Higher Education with Learning Mindsets, Tennessee Pathways with Purpose, and Removing Barriers to Motivation in Community College Math.