Katherine M. Bowser

I am an Education PhD Candidate at George Mason University with a specialization in Education Policy and a secondary emphasis in Econometrics and Quasi-Experimental Methodology. 

My goal is to provide high-quality and accessible research that helps state and local leaders make data-driven decisions that best serve their students, educators, and communities. I am trained and have experience in numerous methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and machine learning techniques. However, I specifically have strong skills and interest in using rigorous quasi-experimental regression techniques to evaluate the impact of policies on student and teacher outcomes.

In three manuscripts, my dissertation examines important policy implications for teacher workforce and labor market development in rural school districts. My job market paper examines the growing trend of adopting a four-day school week (4DSW) in small, rural school districts. I employ event study and difference-in-difference analyses to examine the relationship between the 4DSW and teacher turnover rates. I also examine potential moderators and mediators of this relationship. In the remaining two manuscripts, I study 1) characteristics of teacher evaluation implementation and 2) the associations between the implementation characteristics and student outcomes in a rural, field-based setting utilizing descriptive analysis, variance decomposition, and regression techniques.

I am completing my dissertation under the advisement of Seth B. Hunter, PhD (chair, George Mason University), Matthew A. Kraft, PhD (Brown University), and Samantha Viano, PhD (George Mason University). I thank them immensely for their insights and support.

I have over five years of experience working for an education technology company that partners with reputable colleges and universities seeking to expand and scale their online degree programs. In my role,  I successfully hired, trained, and led a team of nine, managed external partner relationships, and drove process development in order to efficiently meet key performance indicators. I also have six years of experience as a student affairs professional who supported and managed civic engagement programs and community-based internships for college students.

My academic CV can be found here and my professional resume can be found here.