December 1, 2021
College of Education's Tuan Nguyen receives research award
Tuan Nguyen, an assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the College of Education, is the fall 2021 recipient of the Michael C. Holen Excellence in Research Award.
Nguyen's main research interests include school improvement, teacher labor markets, education policy and postsecondary success. He applies rigorous quantitative methods — quasi-experimental designs and meta-analysis — to examine the effects and unintended consequences of education policies, the barriers to persistence, and the effectiveness of policies designed to combat attrition, particularly for an equitable society.
Nguyen's K-12 research focuses on education policy, teacher policy and the teacher labor market, examining the factors that drive teacher attrition and retention and the policies intended to address these issues for social equity, particularly for STEM and rural education. In higher education, his research focuses on the distribution of financial aid and its effects on postsecondary persistence and degree attainment, particularly for underserved students.
Nguyen has established a strong, consistent and coherent record of research, publication and external funding. His research also informs and is informed by his teaching and service at K-State and the broader academic community.