Roya Heydari

Roya Heydari is the Senior Associate Director of Curriculum and Teaching for Pre College Programs within Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. She has a background in science education and education research and development spanning from secondary education to varying degrees of higher education. In her role as Senior Associate Director, Roya oversees the STEM course portfolio for Pre College, supporting classroom experiences through program- and course-development, syllabus review, and instructional support. She also works collaboratively with senior leadership in overseeing Pre-College’s credit-bearing program, College Edge, to ensure eligible high school students from the surrounding community engage in a meaningful college experience by earning college credit as they learn alongside Columbia’s undergraduate students.

Roya received her doctorate in Science Education from Columbia University, Teachers College. Her work focused on the identity development of students in informal science settings. She focused her work and research on students traditionally marginalized from the field of science, specifically high-school and undergraduate girls of color. Roya has a wide range of experiences in educational assessment and development in both informal and formal learning settings; specifically combining quantitative and qualitative methods to holistically understand, assess, and develop learning experiences. She is particularly passionate about harnessing the powers of science and science education for social change, and working with educators and leaders to ensure transformative educational experiences are accessible for all students.

Roya holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Science Education from Columbia University, Teachers College, and a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Binghamton University.