The Research Collaborative on Higher Education in Prison is part of the University of Utah Prison Education Project, a multi pronged approach to expand the field of quality higher education in prison. We work in collaboration with programs across the country to transform the landscape of higher education in prison through empirical research and collaboration toward more equitable and quality experiences for incarcerated students.
Research Collaborative Members:
Erin L. Castro is an Associate Dean of Community Engagement and Access, Undergraduate Studies and Co-Director/Founder of the University of Utah Prison Education Project. She is also an Associate Professor of Higher Education, and she directs the Research Collaborative on Higher Education in Prison.
Estefanie Aguilar Padilla is a graduate research assistant with the Research Collaborative on Higher Education in Prison. She is a graduate student in the Masters of Statistics, Econometrics program at the University of Utah.
Stephanie Gaskill has been conducting research and writing about the criminal legal system for almost a decade. She has also taught high school equivalency classes for currently and formerly incarcerated women and served as the lead staff person for a higher education in prison program.
Cydney Caradonna is a PhD student in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Utah. Throughout her academic career she has supported a variety of programming including transfer student support and social justice leadership development. Her career goals include becoming faculty and producing research surrounding critical leadership studies, higher education in prison, student activism and epistemic justice while engaging with community organizing efforts.