In Memoriam: Carol McDonald Connor
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A Chancellor's Professor of Education at the UCI School of Education since 2016, Dr. Carol McDonald Connor was a leading academic, a guiding light for disadvantaged children, and a friend and mentor to innumerable students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty.
Dr. Connor devoted her life to studying language and literacy development. At the UCI School of Education, Connor led the Center for Creating Opportunities through Education (CCOE), a university-wide center focused on creating economic mobility for disadvantaged children. Over decades of work, she fought for supporting the needs of others - teaching, mentoring, conducting research, creating interventions, and securing a U.S. patent that generated individualized plans for children learning to read. “This is a tremendous loss to UCI, the School of Education, academia, and future generations of students who could benefit from Dr. Connor’s work and research,” said Richard Arum, dean and professor, UCI School of Education. “To say Carol made an indelible impact would be an understatement – she passionately mentored students and early career professors and helped millions of children with her unique educational programs.” |
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Connor’s research examined the links between children’s language, cognitive, social-emotional, and literacy and mathematics development from preschool through the elementary grades. Most recently, her research interests focused on children’s learning in the classroom, with a focus on reading comprehension and mathematics, children living in poverty, and how technology might improve the instruction they receive.
Over the course of her career, Connor developed online assessment tools, which she coupled with specific instructional modules. Utilizing these, teachers were able to assess each of their students’ current learning needs, plan instruction using a dynamic lesson planner, deliver the appropriate instructional modules, and monitor the student’s progress.
“Carol was one of the most brilliant and innovative scholars I have ever known,” said Professor Mark Warschauer. “She was able to combine her deep knowledge of language, literacy, and educational psychology with creative new approaches to digital learning and data science to develop highly effective and personalized approaches to reading instruction.”
“Carol was a phenomenal researcher like no other,” said Professor Young-Suk Kim. “Carol turned a long-held wishful idea in the field of reading into a reality – a systematic approach to differentiated instruction. Despite a wide recognition of large variation in students’ strengths and needs, and an associated need for differentiated instruction, there was no systematic algorithm-based approach to recommending the nature and amount of instruction in different areas of reading. Carol made this into a reality with brilliance, innovation using technology, and rigor. She is one of the people I count as those who changed the field.”
Over the course of her career, Connor developed online assessment tools, which she coupled with specific instructional modules. Utilizing these, teachers were able to assess each of their students’ current learning needs, plan instruction using a dynamic lesson planner, deliver the appropriate instructional modules, and monitor the student’s progress.
“Carol was one of the most brilliant and innovative scholars I have ever known,” said Professor Mark Warschauer. “She was able to combine her deep knowledge of language, literacy, and educational psychology with creative new approaches to digital learning and data science to develop highly effective and personalized approaches to reading instruction.”
“Carol was a phenomenal researcher like no other,” said Professor Young-Suk Kim. “Carol turned a long-held wishful idea in the field of reading into a reality – a systematic approach to differentiated instruction. Despite a wide recognition of large variation in students’ strengths and needs, and an associated need for differentiated instruction, there was no systematic algorithm-based approach to recommending the nature and amount of instruction in different areas of reading. Carol made this into a reality with brilliance, innovation using technology, and rigor. She is one of the people I count as those who changed the field.”
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Prior to her career in academia, Connor worked as a speech and language pathologist. In 1992 she began work at the Cochlear Implant Center at the University of Michigan, where she researched, evaluated, tested, and provided therapy to deaf children and adults. She earned a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy & Culture, Special Education from the University of Michigan, and began her professorial career at Florida State University. Immediately prior to joining UCI, Connor was a professor of Psychology and a Senior Learning Scientist at the Learning Sciences Institute at Arizona State University.
“I met Carol in 2014 when we served together on a committee to advise the National Center for Education Statistics on future waves of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Cohort; what a bright, lively, kind, and fun person!” said Distinguished Professor George Farkas. “She was inventing reading interventions that used technology to personalize instruction and, along with her husband Jay, was implementing and testing this technology in multiple large experiments around the country. Many of us, nationwide, will sorely miss Carol's bright expertise, energy, kindness, and leadership. She lit up the room.” |
Connor at the 2019 UCI Building Partnerships to Improve Education Symposium
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“She was so upbeat, so instantly likable, so warm and caring,” said Professor Carol Booth Olson. “Despite the fact that she was a real star as a scholar, she was always ready to roll up her sleeves and do her share to contribute to the school and was always willing to take a colleague under her wing. I’ve enjoyed my collegial relationship with Carol but I will miss her as a personal friend even more. I will remember her for her tireless energy, her kind heart, her fierce intellect, and her amazing empathy.”
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Connor served as principal investigator for the Individualizing Student Instruction (iSi) Lab. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences and the National Institutes of Health, the ISI Lab applies rigorous research to design, develop, and evaluate literacy interventions that are individualized based on students’ learning needs using both classroom instruction and technology.
“Carol had such an appetite for research,” said Deborah Lowe Vandell, chancellor’s professor and founding dean of the UCI School of Education. “All of her projects had qualities in common – they were audaciously bold, methodologically rigorous, and highly innovative. All reflected Carol’s deep commitment to develop, test, and then field in schools across the country the successful strategies and tools that she identified in order to make meaningful improvements in children’s academic achievement. The field of Education has lost a visionary leader.” |
Connor works with members of the iSi Lab, 2017
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“Carol was doing some of the most innovative research on classroom instruction in the world,” said Distinguished Professor Jacquelynne Eccles. “Her approach to using informatics to help teachers identify exactly which skills each child needed to perfect in order to master what they were learning was exactly what the field of instruction needs at this time. Her very untimely death is a great loss to the field of education.”
Colleagues agreed that Connor’s research and innovation was surpassed only by her commitment to students and faculty, along with her warm personality.
“Carol was generous with her time and had great insights about work and life,” said Elizabeth Peña, professor and associate dean of faculty development and diversity. “She was a fabulous mentor, leader, and innovator in the field of reading research, but what is striking about her is how committed she was to the people around her. She was committed to our school, to the staff, faculty, and students alike.”
“Carol was a wonderful colleague - warm, generative and completely committed to using the best research to promote literacy for all children,” said Distinguished Professor Greg Duncan. “We were fortunate to lure her to UCI and will miss her terribly.”
Over the course of her career, Connor served as a mentor to many early career professors and doctoral students, including several at the UCI School of Education.
“Carol chaired my hiring committee, thereby playing a huge role in offering me the chance to join the UCI community, and by no means stopped there,” said Assistant Professor Andres Bustamante. “She continued to offer tremendous support and mentorship once I arrived. She was dedicated to mentoring young scholars in a way that was genuine and kind, providing meaningful guidance and support. I feel deeply privileged to have had Carol as a mentor and grateful for the opportunities she provided me. She will be sorely missed.”
“I used to jokingly refer to Carol and her husband as ‘Auntie Carol’ and ‘Uncle Jay,’” said Assistant Professor Brandy Gatlin-Nash. “They welcomed me and my family into their home with open arms, and Carol constantly inquired about my family, especially my 98-year-old grandmother, 'Gigi.' I loved the way Carol’s eyes would light up when she talked about her own family, especially her grandchildren. In losing her, I do feel like I lost a family member, but I am forever inspired by her work and the friendships she created over the years. We will all miss her so much.”
Colleagues agreed that Connor’s research and innovation was surpassed only by her commitment to students and faculty, along with her warm personality.
“Carol was generous with her time and had great insights about work and life,” said Elizabeth Peña, professor and associate dean of faculty development and diversity. “She was a fabulous mentor, leader, and innovator in the field of reading research, but what is striking about her is how committed she was to the people around her. She was committed to our school, to the staff, faculty, and students alike.”
“Carol was a wonderful colleague - warm, generative and completely committed to using the best research to promote literacy for all children,” said Distinguished Professor Greg Duncan. “We were fortunate to lure her to UCI and will miss her terribly.”
Over the course of her career, Connor served as a mentor to many early career professors and doctoral students, including several at the UCI School of Education.
“Carol chaired my hiring committee, thereby playing a huge role in offering me the chance to join the UCI community, and by no means stopped there,” said Assistant Professor Andres Bustamante. “She continued to offer tremendous support and mentorship once I arrived. She was dedicated to mentoring young scholars in a way that was genuine and kind, providing meaningful guidance and support. I feel deeply privileged to have had Carol as a mentor and grateful for the opportunities she provided me. She will be sorely missed.”
“I used to jokingly refer to Carol and her husband as ‘Auntie Carol’ and ‘Uncle Jay,’” said Assistant Professor Brandy Gatlin-Nash. “They welcomed me and my family into their home with open arms, and Carol constantly inquired about my family, especially my 98-year-old grandmother, 'Gigi.' I loved the way Carol’s eyes would light up when she talked about her own family, especially her grandchildren. In losing her, I do feel like I lost a family member, but I am forever inspired by her work and the friendships she created over the years. We will all miss her so much.”
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"I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to know Carol as a friend and mentor - she is one of the most brilliant, compassionate, and dedicated people I have ever known," said Assistant Professor Katherine Rhodes. "Perhaps the only comfort here is in knowing that her spirit is with us in her incredible body of work, the countless people she has mentored and guided, and her unyielding passion for improving the lives of children."
“Carol was one of the first to personally reach out and welcome me when I arrived at UCI two years ago; a gesture I will always remember,” said Associate Professor June Ahn. “I was always struck by her immense reservoir of energy and positivity in everything that she undertook. She left an indelible impression on everyone she touched in her life.” “I have always had such admiration for her passion and dedication to education research,” said Stephanie Day. Day worked with Connor for 15 years, first as an RA, then doctoral student, postdoc, and served as her project director for the past eight years. “Carol was a mentor unlike any other. She was unbelievably kind, generous, and supportive of her students and anybody that wished to learn from her.” |
Connor with doctoral student Elham Zargar, whom Connor advised. "Dr. Connor made sure to celebrate us for our every little accomplishment – none of which would have been possible without her support," Zargar said.
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"When I joined the iSi Lab in 2016 as a postdoctoral scholar, I was so excited about the opportunity to join the lab and work with Carol, a renowned researcher and scientist in the field of reading research, and my feelings never withered,” said Postdoc Jin Kyoung Hwang. “Throughout my years in her lab, she was always there for me, supporting and encouraging me to be a better researcher.”
In 2016, Connor was named a fellow of the American Psychological Association. A year prior, she was named a fellow of the American Educational Research Association. In 2007, she received the Richard C. Snow Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association.
Connor also received the 2006 President’s Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PRECASE), given by the U.S. Department of Education to “the most promising researchers in the nation within their fields."
In 2016, Connor was named a fellow of the American Psychological Association. A year prior, she was named a fellow of the American Educational Research Association. In 2007, she received the Richard C. Snow Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association.
Connor also received the 2006 President’s Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PRECASE), given by the U.S. Department of Education to “the most promising researchers in the nation within their fields."
