Gwen Marchand, Ph.D. is the Associate Vice President for Research and a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) . She formerly served as Associate Dean of Research and Sponsored Projects in the UNLV College of Education and as Director of the UNLV Center for Research, Evaluation, and Assessment . Education: Ph.D. in Systems Science: Psychology, Portland State University, 2008 – emphasis in human development, student motivation & engagement, and quantitative research methods Research Interests: Professor Marchand’s scholarship applies complexity theory and mixed-methods designs to study student motivation and engagement , classroom systems , student mobility , and collaborative team processes . Her interdisciplinary work emphasizes research-practice partnerships and systems-level understanding of educational phenomena. Current focal areas include: Motivational development of school-aged children Social and personal determinants of student engagement Teacher instructional supports for motivation in science classrooms Program evaluation and evidence-based educational innovation Publications & Scholarly Impact: Across 40+ peer-reviewed works since 2004, Marchand’s research spans complex dynamic systems , mixed-methods innovations , motivational theory , and science education reform . Recent outputs (2020-2024) converge on applying systems perspectives to classroom dynamics and translating motivational theory into scalable teacher professional-development programs. Professional Service & Leadership: Program Chair & Treasurer, Division 15 (Educational Psychology), American Psychological Association (APA) Secretary/Treasurer, Complexity Theories in Education SIG, American Educational Research Association (AERA) President, Scholarly Consortium for Innovative Psychology in Education (SCIPIE) Editorial Boards: Journal of Educational Psychology , Contemporary Educational Psychology Guest Co-Editor, special issues on complex systems ( Journal of Experimental Education ) and mixed-methods ( Contemporary Educational Psychology ) Teaching & Mentoring: Marchand regularly teaches graduate courses in advanced research methods , program evaluation , motivation theory , and quantitative analyses . Her interdisciplinary mentorship spans educational psychology, systems science, and STEM education research. Administrative Oversight: Office of Sponsored Programs Office of Clinical Trials Office of Research Integrity Interdisciplinary research development initiatives and strategic planning Funding: Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation , the National Institute of General Medical Sciences , and numerous state and local agencies, evidencing broad recognition of her expertise and translational impact.









