Dr. Kendra Thompson-Dyck serves as Director for the Office of Assessment & Research (A&R) and is a Research Affiliate of the Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW) at the University of Arizona.  Her diverse portfolio includes applied and scholarly projects funded by the National Science Foundation, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Department of Education, and the Arizona Innovation Alliance.

Trained as a quantitative social scientist, Kendra leads projects in A&R designed to enhance student experiences and outcomes, including campuswide survey consultation and coordination.

Selected Publications

Thompson-Dyck, K. and Schalewski, L.  2023. “Collaborating with Stakeholders in the Assessment Process.” In Henning, G. Yousey-Elsner K. & Betrim, E. (Eds.), Coordinating Student Affairs Assessment, 2^nd Ed.  Stylus Publishing. 

 Thompson-Dyck, K. 2021. “Neighborhood Context and Juvenile Recidivism: A Spatial Analysis of Organizations and Reoffending Risk.” Crime and Delinquency. 68(3): 331-356. DOI: 10.1177/0011128721999336

Dr. Ned Tilbrook is Data Analyst in the Office of Assessment and Research.  He received his PhD from the Department of Sociology at Portland State University in June 2024. His dissertation research uses nationally representative data to examine social reproduction in higher education, in particular STEM major persistence and the the experiences and outcomes of first-generation college students. He uses quantitative, qualitative and GIS methods in his work. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and published in Social Science Research, Sociology of Education, and Socius.

Within A&R, Ned acts as analytic lead, working on a variety of survey and institutional data analysis projects on campus and beyond in order to provide data to inform decision-making and better the experiences and outcomes of Arizona students.

Selected publications

Oh, Byeongdon, Ned Tilbrook, and Dara Shifrer. 2024. “Shifting Tides: The Evolution of Racial Inequality in Higher Education from the 1980s through the 2010s.” Socius 10:23780231231225576. doi:10.1177/23780231231225578. 

Tilbrook, Ned, and Dara Shifrer. 2022. “Field-Specific Cultural Capital and Persistence in College Majors.” Social Science Research 103:102654. doi: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2021.102654.

Dr. Elisa Sperandio serves as Manager of Training and Project Development in the Office of Assessment and Research. In Spring 2024, she received her PhD from the School of Geography, Development, and Environment at the University of Arizona. Her dissertation research on migrant inclusion and housing in Italy was funded by the Social Science Research Council and the American Geographical Society. 

With a background in qualitative research and teaching, Elisa's work in A&R includes curating professional development offerings and supporting consultations with campus partners. 

Selected Publications

Sperandio, E., & Lampredi, G. (2024). From hospitality to dwelling: a lens for migrant homesharing in Italy. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2024.2346618