Dr. Rodrigues is an Associate Professor in the College of Education & Human Development at the University of Missouri. She is the Director of the Mathematics Potential Lab. She is the Principal Investigator on two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants—one of which is an NSF CAREER award. 

Emily is a third-year graduate student in the Department of Special Education at the University of Missouri. Her research interests include data-based individualization as a tool to support teachers’ use and effective implementation of evidence-based mathematics instructional practices to improve outcomes for students with or at risk for mathematics disabilities. She is also interested in translation science and making research accessible to educators and key stakeholders.

Shannon is a Special Education doctoral candidate at Mizzou with over 25 years of experience in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She established Autism Outfitters, LLC in 2017 to provide consultation, training, and advocacy for ASD. She is also currently teaching two courses in Special Education at Mizzou. She is interested in researching ways to build communities of support for autistic individuals and Universal Design for Learning.

Kate is a master’s student in the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at Mizzou. She is originally from North Carolina. She plans to work as a mental health counselor, with her clinical interests focused primarily on college students, athletes, and individuals with disabilities. She also has experience working as a Registered Behavior Technician in the autistic community. She has a variety of research interests and is passionate about creating an inclusive and diverse learning environment that can meet the needs of every individual.

Dr. Mirielli is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Juniper Gardens (KU) and continues to lead the Special Education Faculty Jobs POD--a project she started with MPL during her doctoral studies. She is originally from Columbia and received her undergraduate degree from Mizzou. Before returning to continue her education, she worked as a high school special education teacher. Her research focuses on social skills instruction in the secondary setting. 

Taylor is a junior and a Columbia native. She is studying Environmental Science and Sustainability in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. She is interested in all fields of research along with helping and empowering the community in any way she can.

Emma is a senior at Mizzou studying Sociology and earning certificates in Multicultural Studies and Human Resource Management. She is passionate about understanding how social inequalities manifest and about promoting change through intentional inclusive practices. She is interested in researching how to aid our communities in supporting students with disabilities. After graduation, she plans to continue to care for her community by working as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion employee.

Szymon is sophomore studying Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is interested in research benefiting minorities, which has long been underexplored. He plans to continue to advocate for disabled, neurodivergent, and other minority students, and hopes to inspire others to pursue STEM fields.

Molly is a third year undergraduate student studying Psychology and earning a minor in Women and Gender Studies, as well as certificates in Ethics and Multicultural Studies. She is
passionate about using an intersectional lens in research and utilizing education as a method of bringing about change and promoting inclusivity. She is particularly interested in how social
inequalities affect childhood education outcomes, and how those inequities can be remedied. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career as a therapist.

Belle-Ange Georges is a first-year undergraduate student here at Mizzou. Belle is majoring in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and aspires to become a Physical Therapist. She is a participant in the KC Scholars Program. Belle aspires to have a positive impact in others’ lives, and being a member of the MPL Research Study is one of the many ways she aims to make a positive contribution.

Rylee is a sophomore majoring in Health Sciences with aspirations of becoming a physician assistant. She is a part of multiple organizations here including, but not limited to, KC Scholars and JPAWS where she focuses on making personal and academic growth. She looks forward to pursuing a career where she can make a positive impact on someone else's life.

Mackenna is a third-year doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Special Education department. Her research interests include elementary mathematics interventions, mathematics vocabulary, parental involvement in academics, and playscape accessibility. She hopes to continue educational research in her career to further the academic success of students with or at risk for mathematics difficulty.