Dana L. Mitra has conducted research on voice and leadership as a Professor of Education Policy Studies at the Pennsylvania State University for the past 15 years. In her work as a professor, she was named as a Students at the Center “Distinguished Fellow” with Jobs For the Future/the Nellie Mae Foundation in 2016. She is founding editor of the International Journal of Student Voice and Co-Editor of The American Journal of Education. Dana also works with professionals as a leadership and personal coach.
Dana has published over 30 papers and two books on the topics of student voice and civic engagement. Her books include Civic Education in the Elementary Grades: Promoting Engagement in an Era of Accountability, Student Voice in School Reform: Building Youth-Adult Partnerships that Empower Youth, and a textbook entitled Educational Change and the Political Process . She also has published a memoir entitled French Fries and Banyan Trees: American Kids Explore Bangalore and Beyond.
Dana holds a Ph. D. from Stanford University in Educational Administration and Policy Analysis. She has served as a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar in 2012 to study child participation and educational reform in Bangalore, India. Her prior work experience includes teaching elementary school in the Washington, DC area and serving as the coordinator for two White House Conferences on Character Education.
REFEREED PUBLICATIONS--access at my Academia.Edu page or view abstracts at Google Scholar page
Wall, K., Cassidy C. Robinson, C., Hall, E., Bheaton, M., Kanyal, M., and Mitra, D. (2019). Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 1-16.
Brezicha, K. F., & Mitra, D. L. (2019). Should We Be Testing Civics? Examining the Implications of the Civic Education Initiative. Peabody Journal of Education, 1-15.
Mitra, D. (2018). Student voice in secondary schools: the possibility for deeper change. Journal of Educational Administration, 56(5), 473-487.
Mitra, D. (2017). Educational change and the political process. A textbook of educational policy. Routledge Press.
Mitra, D. & McCormick, P. (2017). Ethical dilemmas of youth participatory action research in a democratic setting. International Journal of Inclusive Education: Special Issue on Researching Ethically with Children and Young People, 21, 3, 248-258.
Serrriere, S., Burroughs, M, & Mitra, D. (2017). Kindergartners and philosophical dialogue: Supporting child agency in the classroom. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 29, 4, 8-12.
Mayes, E., Mitra, D., & Serriere, S. (2016). Figured worlds of citizenship: Examining differences made in ‘making a difference’ in an elementary school classroom. American Educational Research Journal, 53, 3, 605-638. DOI: 10.3102/0002831216648378
Mitra, D., Mann, B., & Hlavacik, M. (2016). Opting out: Parents creating contested spaces to challenge standardized tests. Education Policy Analysis Archives. March.
Mitra, D., Bergmark, U. Brezicha, K., Kostenius, C., Maithreyi, R., & Serriere, S. (2016). Ironies of democracy: purposes of education and the construction of citizens in Sweden, India, and the United States. Citizenship Teaching and Learning, 11, 2., 191-210. DOI: 10.1386/ctl.11.2.191_1
Mitra, D. & Serriere, S. (2015). Civic education in the elementary grades: Promoting engagement in an era of accountability. New York: Teachers College Press.
Biddle, C. & Mitra, D. (2015). Implementing middle school youth-adult partnerships: A study of two programs focused on social change. Middle Grades Review, 1, 2, Article 6. http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/mgreview/vol1/iss2/6
Brezicha, K., Bergmark, U. & Mitra, D. (2015). One Size Does Not Fit All: Differentiating Leadership to Intentionally Support Teachers in School Reform. Education Administration Quarterly, 51, 1, 96-132.
Kawai, R., Serriere, S., & Mitra, D. (2014). Contested Spaces of a “Failing” Elementary School. Theory and Research in Social Education, 42, 4, 486-515.
Mitra, D., Serriere, S., & Kirshner, B. (2014). Youth participation in U.S. contexts: Student voice without a national mandate. Children & Society, 28, 4, 292-304.
Mitra, D., Lewis, T., & Sanders, F. (2013). Architects, Captains, and Dreamers: Creating Advisor Roles that Foster Youth-Adult Partnerships. Journal of Educational Change, 14, 2, 177-201.
Serriere, S., McGarry, L., Fuentes, D., & Mitra, D. (2012). A new year a new take on celebrations. Social Studies and the Learner, 9, 4, 6-10.
Mitra, D. L. & Halabi, S. (2012). Paradoxes in policy practice: Signaling post-secondary pathways in the Rust Belt. Teachers College Record, 114, 1, 1-34.
Mitra, D., & Serriere, S. (2012). Student voice in elementary-school reform: Examining youth development in fifth graders. American Educational Research Journal, 49, 743-774, doi:10.3102/0002831212443079
Mitra, D., Serriere, S, & Stoicovy, D. (2012). The role of leaders in enabling student voice. Management in Education, 26, 3, 104-112.
Serriere, S. & Mitra, D. (2012). Student voice and youth development. In C. Day (Ed), Handbook on Teacher and School Development. New York: Sage.
Serriere, S. C., Mitra, D. L., & Reed, K. (2011). Student voice in the elementary years: Fostering youth-adult partnerships in elementary service-learning. Theory and Research in Social Education, 39, 4, 541-575.
Mitra, D. L. & Frick, W.F. (2011). Civic capacity in educational reform efforts: Finding agency in a time of globalization. Educational Policy, 25, 5, 810-843.
Serriere, S. C., Mitra, D. L. & Cody, J. (2010). Youth citizens taking action: Better school lunches, and more. Social Studies and the Learner, November.
Mitra, D., Sanders, F., and Perkins, D. (2010). Providing spark and stability: The role of intermediary organizations in establishing school-based youth-adult partnerships. Applied Developmental Science, (14), 12, 1-18.
Mitra, D. L. & Gross, S. J. (2009). Increasing student voice in high school reform: Building partnerships, improving outcomes. Educational Management, Administration, and Leadership, 37, 4, 452-473.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). Collaborating with students: Building youth-adult partnerships in schools. American Journal of Education, 15, 3, 407-436.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). Student voice and student roles in education policy and policy reform. In D. N. Plank, G. Sykes & B. Schneider (Eds.), AERA Handbook on Education Policy Research (pp. 819-830). London: Routledge.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). Strengthening student voice initiatives in high schools: An examination of the supports needed for school-based youth-adult partnerships. Youth and Society 40, 3, 311-335.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). The role of intermediary organizations in sustaining student voice initiatives. Teachers College Record 111, 7, 1834-1868.
Syvertsen, A.K., Stout, M.D., Flanagan, C.A with Mitra, D. L., Oliver, M.B., Sundar, S. S. (2009). Using elections as teachable moments: A randomized evaluation of the Student Voices civic education program. American Journal of Education, 116, 1, 33-66.
Mitra, D. L. (2008). Student voice in school reform: Building youth-adult partnerships that strengthen schools and empower youth. Albany, NY, State University of New York Press.
Mitra, D. L., Frick, W. C., & Movit, Marcela A. (2008). Brain drain in the Rust Belt: Can educational reform help to build civic capacity in struggling communities? Educational Policy, 22, 731-757.
Mitra, D. L. (2008). Balancing power in communities of practice: An examination of increasing student voice through school-based youth-adult partnerships. Journal of Educational Change, 9, 3, 221-324.
Sanders, F., Movit, M., Mitra, D., & Perkins, D. F. (2007). Examining ways in which youth conferences can spell out gains in positive youth development. LEARNing Landscapes, 1, 1, 49-78.
Mitra, D. L. (2007). The role of administrators in enabling youth-adult partnerships in schools. NASSP Bulletin, 91, 3, 237-256.
Mitra, D. L. (2007). Student voice in school reform: From listening to leadership. In D. Thiessen & A. Cook-Sather (Eds.), International Handbook of Student Experience in Elementary and Secondary School. (pp. 727-744). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
Mitra, D. L. (2006). Student voice or empowerment? Examining the role of school-based youth-adult partnerships as an avenue toward focusing on social justice. International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, 10, 22.
Mitra, D. L. (2006). Youth as a bridge between home and school: Comparing student voice and parent involvements as strategies for change. Education and Urban Society, 38(4), 455-480.
Mitra, D. L. (2006). Educational change on the inside and outside: The positioning of challengers. International Journal of Leadership Education, 9, 4, 315-328.
Mitra, D. L. (2005). Adults advising youth: Leading while getting out of the way. Educational Administration Quarterly, 41, 3, 520-553.
Mitra, D. L. (2004). The significance of students: Can increasing “student voice” in schools lead to gains in youth development. Teachers College Record, 106, 4, 651–688.
Mitra, D. L. (2003). Student voice in school reform: Reframing student-teacher relationships. McGill Journal of Education, 38, 2, 289–304.
McLaughlin, M., & D. L. Mitra. (2001). Theory-based change and change-based theory: Going deeper, going broader. Journal of Educational Change, 3, 1, 301–323.
INVITED ARTICLES, BOOK CHAPTERS, AND REPORTS
Biddle, C. & Mitra, D. (in press). Community activism and advocacy. In Urick, A., DeMatthews, D., and Ford, T. (Eds.) Maximizing the Policy-Relevance of Research for School Improvement. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Mitra, D. (2020). Secrets to a more successful partnership between students and teachers. In J.S. Brooks & A. Heffernan, A. (Eds.), The school leadership survival guide: What to do when things go wrong, how to learn from mistakes, and why you should prepare for the worst. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Mitra, D. & Dagistan, S. (2018). Evaluation of Oregon Student Voice. University Park: Penn State.
LeTendre, G., McGinnis, E., Mitra, D., Montgomery, R. and Pendola, A. (2018). American Journal of Education: retos y oportunidades en las ciencias translacionales y la zona gris de la publicación académica|The American Journal of Education: challenges and opportunities in translational science and the grey area of academic. Revista Española de Pedagogía, 76 (271), 413-435. doi: https://doi.org/10.22550/REP76-3-2018-01
Mitra, D. (2018). The Six Secrets to More Successful Partnership Between Students and Teachers. Students at the Center, Jobs for the Future: Boston. https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/resource/six-secrets-to-more-successful-partnership-between-students-and-teachers/
Mitra, D. & Pendola, A. (2017). Exploring student-centered learning in the ESSA State Plans. Jobs for the Future, Students at the Center Hub, Boston. https://studentsatthecenterhub.org/blog/exploring-student-centered-learning-in-the-essa-state-plans/
Mitra, D. (2017). Building jobs in the rust belt: the role of education. The Conversation, April 11. https://theconversation.com/building-jobs-in-the-rust-belt-the-role-of-education-72833
Mitra, D. (2015). The intersection of student voice and policy research. In Conner, J. and Rosin, R. (Eds.) Student voice in American educational policy: A national society for the study of education yearbook. NY: Teachers College Press.
Mitra, D. (2015) Forward in Brasof, M., Student voice and school governance: Distributing leadership to youth and adults. NY: Routledge.
Kawai, R., Serriere, S, & Mitra, D. (2014). Fostering civic efficacy and action through fifth graders’ civic ‘zines. In A. Libresco (Ed.), Exemplary Elementary Social Studies: Case Studies in Practice (pp. 35-58). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Cook-Sather, A and Mitra, D. (2013). Linking across the links: Student voice works-in-progress. Connect: supporting student participation, 202, August, 11-16. ISSN 2202-4980
Mitra, D. L. (2012). Increasing student voice in school reform: Building partnerships, improving outcomes. In Kelly, B. and Perkins, D. (Eds), Handbook of Implementation Science for Psychology in Education (pp. 361-372). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Mitra, D.L. & Kirshner, B. (2012). Insiders versus outsiders—Examining variability in student voice initiatives and their consequences for school change. In B. McMahon & J. Portelli (Ed.), Student engagement in urban schools: Beyond neoliberal discourses (pp. 49-72). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing
Mitra, D.L., Frick W. C., & Crawford, E. (2011). The ethical dimensions of student voice activities in the United States. In G. Czerniawski & W. Kidd (Eds.) The Student Voice Handbook: Bridging the Academic/Practitioner Divide (pp. 369- 380). London: Emerald.
Serriere, S. & Mitra, D. (2011). Student voice and youth development. In C. Day (Ed), Handbook on Teacher and School Development (pp. 223-232). New York: Sage.
Eckert, S & Mitra, D.L. (2011). Policy. Oxford Biographies Online. New York: Oxford Press, http://aboutobo.com/education.
Mitra, D.L. (2011). Student participation. Oxford Biographies Online. New York: Oxford Press, http://aboutobo.com/education.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). Amplifying student voice. In M. Scherer (Ed.), Engaging the whole child: Reflections on best practices in learning, teaching, and leadership. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Mitra, D. L. (2008). Making it ‘real’: The role of student voice in reforming classroom practice. Educational Leadership, 66, 3, 20-25.
Mitra, D. L. (2008). Student voice or empowerment? Examining the role of school-based youth-adult partnerships as an avenue toward focusing on social justice. In A. Normore (Ed.), Leadership for social justice: Promoting equity and excellence through inquiring and reflective practice (pp. 193-212). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Mitra, D., Perkins, D., Movit, M. (2006, June) Second Mile Leadership Institute 2006: Report from the evaluation’s open ended questions. The Pennsylvania State University, College of Education.
Mitra, D. L. (2005). Increasing student voice and moving toward youth leadership. The Prevention Researcher, 13, 1, 7–10.
McLaughlin, M. & D. L. Mitra. (2003). The cycle of inquiry as the engine of school reform: Lessons from the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative. Stanford, CA: Center for Research on the Context of Teaching.
Mitra, D. L. (2001) Opening the floodgates: Giving students a voice in school reform. Forum. United Kingdom. September.
Stites, R. & D. L. Mitra. (2001). Palo Alto Unified school district team. In Penuel, W. R., & Korbak, C. (Eds.). Silicon Valley Challenge 2000 Longitudinal Case Studies Final Report. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
REFEREED AND INVITED KEYNOTES, CONFERENCE PAPERS, AND SEMINARS
Mitra, D. (2019). A History of Student Voice. Invited Presenter. International Conference on Student Voice, Philadelphia, May.
Mitra, D. (2019). Youth Impact on State Level Policy Making. Presenter. Annual Meeting of the University Council of Education Administration. New Orleans: November.
Mitra, D. (2019). Growing Student Voice in U.S. Policy Making Processes. Presenter. Australian Association for Research in Education Annual Meeting. Brisbane, Australia, December
Mitra, D. (2019). Why student voice matters: Impact on classrooms, schools and policy. Invited Keynote. Student Voice, Agency and Partnerships Conference. Melbourne, Australia, December.
Mitra, D. (2019) Civic Learning Impact and Measurement Convening. Invited Participant. Facebook Headquarters, Menlo Park, CA. January.
Hippolito-Delgado, C.; Lopez, S.; Mitra, D.; Terrell, J. & Zion, S. (2018). Student-centred learning is political: The role of youth activism, voice, and civic readiness in learner-centered education. Invited co-presenter. Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative Convening. Jobs for The Future, Providence, RI, MA, October.
Mitra, D. (2018) A Scholar's Journey from Life at Brown to Research on Youth Engagement in Educational Change. Invited Lecture. Brown University, Providence, RI. October.
Mitra, D. (2018). Civic Inquiry Driven by Students. Invited lecture at the University of Padova Italy, June.
Mitra, D. (2018). New Frameworks for the Field of Student Voice. Invited lecture at the International Conference on Student Voice, Burlington, Vermont, July.
LeTendre, G. & Mitra, D. (2018). Translational Science and the Grey Area of Academic Publishing. Paper prepared for the revista española de pedagogía conference. Madrid, Spain, 2018
Wall, K, Cassidy, C., Arnott, L. Beaton, M., Blaisdell, C., Hall, E., McKernan, G., Mitra, D., Pramling, I., Robinson, C. (2018). Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices. Paper prepared for the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New York, April.
Holquist, S. & Mitra, D. (2018). From students to democratic citizens: Embedding student voice in education decision making. Paper prepared for the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New York, April.
Mitra, D. (2017) Invited Lecture. Student voice: Pathways to partnership, civic engagement and youth development. Look Who’s Talking Seminar. Strathclyde University, Glasgow, Scotland, June.
Mitra, D. (2017). Student Voice in Secondary Schools: The Possibility for Deeper Change. Invited lecture. The Urban Secondary Schools Conference: “Improving urban secondary schools: What works? What more do we need to know?”, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May.
Mitra, D. (2016). Invited keynote. Promoting Purpose and Engagement Through Civic Education and Student Voice. Invited Keynote. Learning and the Brain Conference. Boston, MA, November.
Mitra, D. (2016). Invited Keynote. Vermont’s Statewide shift to Personalized and Competency-based Learning. Jobs for The Future. Boston, MA, November.
Mitra, D. (2016). Invited keynote international. Exploring key hallmarks in the field of student voice. International Seminar on Amplifying Student Voice and Partnership. Burlington, Vermont, July.
Mitra, D., (2016). Invited keynote. Student Voice in School Reform: Building Youth-Adult Partnerships that Strengthen Schools and Empower Youth. Youth Media and Digital Citizenship symposium, August.
Mitra, D. L. McCormick, P. (2016). Co-presenter. Ethical Dilemmas of Youth Participatory Action Research in a Democratic School, Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington, DC, April.
Mitra, D., McCormick, P, & Litzinger, K. (2015). Co-Presenter. Youth participatory action research in a democratic school. Paper presented at the Learner Voice Conference, Dublin, Ireland.
Mitra, D. (2015). Invited participant. Student Voice Seminar. Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, June.
Mitra, D, & Serriere, S., (2015). Co-presenter. Civic Engagement in the Elementary Grades in an Era of Accountability. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, April.
Biddle, C. & Mitra, D. (2014). Co-presenter. Deep, Sustainable Partnerships: The Case of a Multi-School Youth-Adult Partnership Network.. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, April.
Mitra, D. (2014). Invited seminar participant. Student Voice: Accomplishments, Dilemmas, and Aspirations. Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, July.
Mitra, D. (2013). Invited seminar participant. Professional Education and Democracy. Kettering Foundation. Dayton, OH. May.
Mitra, D. (2013). Invited lecture. Opting out of state assessments. Politics of Education Association at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. San Francisco, CA, May.
Mitra, D. (2012). Invited lecture. Child Participation and Student Voice, Lulea Tekniska Universitet. Lulea, Sweden.
Mitra, D. (2012). Invited seminar participant. Links across the Lines Student Voice Seminar. Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, July.
Mitra, D. (2012). Invited lecture. Child participation in the United States and India. National Institute for Advanced Studies. Bangalore, India.
Mitra, D. (2012). Invited lecture How Does Child Consultation Occur in Karnataka? Fulbright Conference. Kochi, India.
Mitra, D. (2011). Invited seminar participant. Student Voice Initiatives Past, Present, and Future. Cambridge University, Cambridge, England, July.
Mitra, D. (2011). Keynote address. Ethical Dimensions of Student Voice and Implications for Leadership. Moral Literacy Symposium, University Park, PA. April.
Mitra, D. & Stoicovy, D. (2010). Co-Presenter. The role of leaders in enabling civic engagement in schools. Annual International Values and Leadership Conference, Umea, Sweden, October.
Mitra, D., Sanders, F., Lewis, T. (2010). Presenter. Adult roles in youth-adult partnerships: Taking tenuous steps toward democratic practice. Paper presented at the Society of Research on Adolescence, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, March.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). Invited presentation. Student voice in the United States. Youth citizenship and the politics of belonging: Young people’s views of educational politics, policies and practices. University of Oxford. September, 2009.
Mitra, D. L. (2009). Increasing student voice in high school reform: Building partnerships, improving outcomes. Invited presentation. High Schools That Work Staff Development Conference, Atlanta, GA. July, 2009
Mitra, D. (2009). Presenter. Pathways beyond high school in a globalized economy: A view from the Rustbelt. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA, April.
Mitra, D., Sanders, F., & Perkins, D. F. (2008). Co-Presenter. Shifting responsibilities: The role of community-based organizations in educating youth about civic engagement and democracy. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
Mitra, D., Sanders, F., Movit, M., & Perkins, D. F. (2007). Co-Presenter. Examining ways in which youth conferences can spell out gains in positive youth development. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Mitra, D. L., Perkins, D. F., & Sanders, F. (2006). Presenter. The inclusion of students in the definition of socially responsible leadership: An examination of the goals of school-based youth-adult partnerships. Paper presented at the 11th Annual International Values and Leadership Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, September.
Mitra, D. L. (2006). Presenter. Sustaining student voice initiatives—What really matters? Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, California, April.
Mitra, D. L., W. C. Frick, & M. A. K. Movit. (2005). Co-presenter. Brain drain in the rust belt: Can communities reinvent themselves in the globalized economy? Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada, April.
Mitra, D.L. with W.C. Frick. (2004) Presenter. A typology of student voice in school reform: From listening to leadership. Feature paper presented at the ‘Student Voice’ Online Conference, hosted by the International Networking for Educational Transformation (INET) England. www.sst-inet.net, September.
Mitra, D. L. (2003). Presenter. Adult advisors: Leading while getting out of the way. Paper presented at the International Conference on Civic Education, New Orleans, Louisiana, November.
Mitra, D. L. & M. McLaughlin. (2000). Co-presenter. Sustaining theory-based change: What’s needed? Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New Orleans, Louisiana, April.
BOOK REVIEWS
Eckert, S.A. & Mitra, D. L. (2009). Review of “Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers,” by K. Cushman and A. Rodgers. New York: The New Press. Teachers College Record. http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=15871. Retrieved on December 16, 2009.
Mitra, D. (2007). Focusing on pupil consultation on what matters – The heart of teaching and learning: A review of 'Improving learning through consulting pupils' by Jean Rudduck & Donald McIntyre. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 28 (3), 421-431.
Mitra, D. L., & Mishook, J. J.(2004). Review of "Critical Voices in School Reform: Students Living through Change.” edited by Beth C. Rubin and Elena M. Silva. London: Routledge Falmer, 2003. American Journal of Education, 110(4).
GRANTS RECEIVED
2016 Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow, Jobs for the Future/Nellie Mae Foundation. ($20,000). 2016-2018.
2016 “Talking about politics: Measuring the quality of youth deliberations.” Dana Mitra, Debra Hawhee, and Eric Plutzer. The Pennsylvania State University, Children, Social Studies Research Institute ($20,000) January 2016-January 2018.
2012 “What Is the Value of Democracy in Schools? A Comparison of Civic Skills’ Expectations.” Ulrika Bergmark, Catrine Kostenius, Dana Mitra, and Stephanie Serriere. Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT). ($22,300). 2012-2013.
2010 “Developing a survey to measure positive youth development and civic outcomes for ages 8-11 in democratic schools.” Dana Mitra, Stephanie Serriere, and Hoi Suen. The Pennsylvania State University, Children, Youth and Families Consortium ($16,500) December 2010-June 2012.
2009 “Youth Mentoring in Philadelphia.” Christy Bartley, Dana Mitra, and Nicole Webster. U.S. Department of Education ($95,000). September 2009-June 2010
2006 “Examining the effectiveness of Second Mile’s “Youth Leadership Initiative” as a school-based youth-adult partnership strategy.” Dana Mitra and Daniel F. Perkins. The Pennsylvania State University, Children, Youth and Families Consortium ($20,000) April 2006-March 2007.
2006 “Examining the effectiveness of Second Mile’s “Youth Leadership Initiative” as a strategy for building strong school-based youth-adult partnerships.” Dana Mitra. The Pennsylvania State University, College of Education ($9,000) April 2006-March 2007.
2006 “Youth brain drain and economic preparedness in Pennsylvania communities.” Dana Mitra, Diane McLaughlin, Kai Schafft, Tasha Snyder. The Pennsylvania State University, Children, Youth and Families Consortium. ($5,000) April 2006-April 2007.
2005 “Reinventing Communities: Connections between School Reform and Community Development in a Globalized Economy.” Dana Mitra. American Educational Research Association-Institute of Education Sciences Research- Grants Program ($15,000) January 2005-December 2005.
2004 “Randomized field design of implementation of Student Voices in Pennsylvania schools.” Connie Flanagan, Dana Mitra, Mary Beth Oliver, and Shyam Sundar. Annenberg Public Policy Center ($50,000). May 2004-May 2005.
2003 “Enabling Student Voice in Schools: Finding Leverage for Change.” Dana Mitra, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Education ($9,000) January 2003-December 2004.
AWARDS AND INTERNATIONAL STUDY
‘Students at the Center’ Distinguished Fellow, Jobs for the Future/Nellie Mae Foundation, 2016-2018
White House Summit on Beating the Odds—Successful Strategies from Schools and Youth Agencies that Build Ladders of Opportunity. Invited participant. Washington, DC. March, 2016.
Fulbright-Nehru Scholar, National Institute for Advanced Study, Bangalore, India, 2012.
Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education Grant, 2012-13. Collaboration with Lulea Tekninska Universitetet.
Penn State Multicultural Resource Center University Faculty Diversity Recognition Award, 2009
Stockholm Universitetet, Stockholm, Sweden, Visiting student, 1992.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Founder and Editor, International Journal of Student Voice, 2015-present.
Co- Editor, American Journal of Education, 2013-present
Associate Editor, American Educational Research Journal, 2020-present.
Board Member, UCEA Center on Ethics and Leadership 2012-2016.
Dissertation Award Committee Chair, American Educational Research Association, Division L 2015-2016
Chair, Planning committee for proposed SIG on Student voice, Partnerships and Participation of the American Educational Research Association, 2013-2015
Planning committee, ESEA 50 Year Anniversary Events at the Convention of the University Council of Educational Administration, Politics of Education Association, 2013-2014
Co-Chair, Research and Conceptualisation of Student Voice International Planning Committee, 2013-2015
Dissertation Award Committee, American Educational Research Association, Division L 2013-2015
Early Career Award Committee, American Educational Research Association, Division L, 2011-2012
Co-Director, William L. Boyd National Educational Politics Workshop, Co-Sponsored by the University Council for Education Administration and Politics of Education Association, 2011, 2012, 2015-present.
Executive Committee Member, Politics of Education Association, 2008-9.
Communications Director, American Educational Association, Adolescence and Youth Development SIG, (2006-7)
Reviewer, Alberta Journal of Educational Research, American Educational Research Journal, Children, Youth and Environments, Curriculum Inquiry, Educational Administration Quarterly, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy, Education Policy Analysis Archives, Educational Researcher, International Journal for Leadership Education, International Journal of Educational Leadership, Journal of Educational Administration, Journal of Research on Adolescence, Sociological Studies of Children and Youth
Reviewer, Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, University Council of Educational Administrator’s Annual Convention 2006-present
Planning committee, League of Democratic Schools, Regional conference, 2009