Emily is an I-STEM graduate research assistant currently working on several program evaluations: the NSF-funded Entrepreneurial Leadership in STEM Teaching and Learning (EnLiST) program; the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Coal Education Program; and the Global Institute for Secondary Educators, a Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars program funded by the U.S. Department of State.  She is in her final doctoral year supervised by Professors Thomas Schwandt and Jennifer Green, on the application of critical systems thinking for programme evaluation, based at the University of Illinois.Emily received her EdM in Educational Psychology from UIUC and is currently working toward her doctoral degree in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Evaluation. Her research interests include the evaluation of youth programs and systems change initiatives. Prior to joining I-STEM, Emily worked as a Classroom Counselor and Special Education Teacher for high school students with emotional and behavioral challenges in San Leandro, CA.