Stephanie Masta

Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction; Courtesy Faculty of Engineering Education
Mailing Addresses
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
ARMSTRONG HALL
701 WEST STADIUM AVENUE
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN 47907-2045
Email: szywicki@purdue.edu

Biography

Stephanie Masta is a member of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and an Associate Professor in Curriculum Studies in the College of Education. She also has courtesy appointments in the School of Engineering Education and the College of Liberal Arts. Most recently, Stephanie was named as a Provost Fellow for her role as the faculty mentor for the Posse Foundation. Prior to coming to Purdue, Stephanie was a postdoctoral research associate and graduate student at Iowa State University. When not trying to fight against systemic colonialism and racism, Stephanie enjoys walking, lifting weights, listening to true crime and 90’s centered podcasts, and reading British mysteries. She loves all sports but mostly fall ones and is a lifelong Michigan Wolverine. Stephanie is also very committed to animal rescue efforts, which includes fostering dogs.

Education

Ph.D., Education, Iowa State University
M.Ed., Higher and Postsecondary Education Administration, Arizona State University
B.A., Political Science, University Michigan

Research Interests

Much of Stephanie’s research focuses on the experiences of Brown and Black individuals in K-20 educational environments, with particular interest in Indigenous peoples and their relationships to academic spaces. Stephanie’s work is also invested in uncovering the intersections of colonialism and race within the academy. Her research is narrative-based, and she uses both Indigenous methodologies and critical race/decolonial theories in her work.

Selected Publications

Masta, S., Grant, J.*, & Holly, Jr., J. (2022). Theoretical intersections: Using CRT and Afropessimism to understand current bans on CRT. Journal of Philosophy and Theory in Higher Education, 4(3), 49-63.

Masta, S. (2022). Theory-to-practice: Researching Indigenous education in the United States. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 24(1), 1-15.

Masta, S. & Holly, Jr., J. (2021). Making whiteness visible: The promise of critical race theory in engineering education. Journal of Engineering Education, 110(4), 798-802.

Masta, S. (2021). Classroom counterspaces: Centering Brown and Black students in doctoral education. Teaching in Higher Education, 26(3), 354-369.

Masta, S. & Secules, S. (2021). When ethnography leaves the field and enters the engineering classroom: A scoping review. Studies in Engineering Education, 2(1), 35-52.

Awards & Honors

  • 2021 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor, College of Education, Purdue University
  • 2021 Fellow, Spencer Foundation Convening Task Force on the Future of Indigenous Education
  • 2018 Outstanding Graduate Faculty, American Studies Graduate Student Organization, Purdue University