Dan Merson Email & Phone Number

• Provide research design and statistical guidance and services to educational researchers and graduate students to enhance dissertations, articles, and other research projects

• Project lead for multiple campus climate assessment projects
• Participate in site visits to assess campus climate, including focus group facilitation
• Conduct quantitative analysis on student, faculty, and staff perceptions of campus climate at several institutions. Compose reports based on the analysis
• Creating a merged dataset of climate assessments from three dozen institutions. Revising the survey’s climate scale based on my Perceptions of Climate Instrument.

• Co-PI for NSF-funded mixed-method assessment of evidence-based instructional practices in the College of Engineering
• Coordinate collection and analysis of interview data from department chairs and faculty members. Supervise doctoral student conducting qualitative analyses

University Park, PA

Teach courses in Penn State's Higher Education masters and doctoral program and the Higher Education & Student Affairs (HE&SA) masters degree program. Conduct research on college student learning and development; climate, culture, and environment; and social justice, focusing on intercollegiate athletics; engineering education; and students' use of.

University Park, PA

Researched the effects of campus climate on student outcomes, especially for LGBTQ collegiate student-athletes. Taught graduate-level core courses for the College Student Affairs program.CSA 503: Student Development in College EnvironmentsCSA 504: Research & Assessment in Student AffairsHIED 597B: Higher Education Quantitative Analysis & Interpretation

Conduct research on engineering education, campus climate, and student-athletes.-NCAA-funded Student-Athlete Climate Study (SACS) with Dr. Susan Rankin-NSF-funded Prototype to Production: Conditions and Processes for Educating the Engineer of 2020 (P2P) & Prototyping the Engineer of 2020: A 360-degree Study of Effective Education (P360) with Drs. Patrick.

Researched the factors that affect the academic success of University of Michigan engineering transfer students with the goal of developing and implementing an advising program that will improve transfer student success.

Worked on projects related to higher education and the public good and a web-based lecture archiving system.

Managed campus-wide yield initiatives through coordination of and collaboration with campus administration, academic departments, student services, campus facilities, and admissions/registrar staff.

• Helped administrators deliver curricula that meet students’ needs while being fiscally responsible
• Advised and collaborated with the Undergraduate Advising Office and Multicultural Engineering Program
• Provided information and analysis for curricular planning, faculty recruitment, budgeting, external accreditation, surveys, and both regular and ad hoc reports
• Coordinated course approval/revision process and class scheduling
• Directed outreach efforts including events, on-campus visits, student-lead tours, direct communications

Developed and taught first-year seminar ENGR 1, Introduction to Engineering and Information SciencesENGR 1: Intro. to Engineering & Information Sciences

• Provided academic advising for all pre-major College of Engineering students
• Updated and published annual Engineering Programs Guide given to 2000 incoming College students
• Revised, developed, taught, and coordinated faculty for first-year introduction to engineering seminar
• Advised student-run committee charged with revamping annual orientation/mentorship program for 1300 College of Engineering studentsENGR 100S: Intro. to Engineering

• Professional staff for seven different male, coed, undergraduate, graduate, international, returning-adult, traditional, suite-style, and special living option residential environments, each of up to 250 students
• Supervised paraprofessionals and graduate students
• Advised student governments
• Organized RA training, new student orientations, safety drills, and hall budgetsCNED 302: Guidance for the Paraprofessional

Ph.D., Higher Education

Ma, Higher Education

Activities and Societies: Member of the School of Education Technology Advisory Committee

M.Ed., College Student Personnel

Academic focus: Leadership Track Second year externship as Assistant to the Dean of Students at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

Bs, Psychology

Minor in Communication Junior-level coursework in Electrical Engineering