Sarah Pinkelman

Dr. Sarah Pinkelman is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University and currently serving as the Behavior Analysis program assistant chair. She entered the field as a special education teacher and has over 20 years of experience working with children with disabilities in school, home, and community settings. Dr. Pinkelman earned her M.S. in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas in 2010 under the mentorship of Drs. Shahla Ala’i and Jesús Rosales-Ruiz, and she received her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Oregon in 2014 under the mentorship of Dr. Rob Horner.

 An overarching theme in Dr. Pinkelman’s research and applied work is bridging the research-to-practice gap in public education. She is interested in (a) socially and ecologically valid approaches to improving teacher and staff implementation of behavior analytic interventions, (b) scaling-up effective and equitable programming in school systems, (c) school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS), (d) implementation science as it relates to evidence-based practice in schools, and (e) research ethics and single-case research methodology.

Prior to joining the faculty at WMU, Dr. Pinkelman was a faculty member at Utah State University and George Mason University. See her lab website at www.pinkelmanlab.com for more information.