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Back to Our People Cynthia L. Blitz, Ph.D. Executive Director, Research Professor Dr. Cynthia L. Blitz is the Executive Director of the Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) and a Research Professor at the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education (RU-GSE). A nationally recognized leader in applied research and evaluation, Dr. Blitz specializes in advancing evidence-based practices that bridge the gap between research, practice, and policy. Dr. Blitz is dedicated to generating new knowledge through high-quality research and evaluation and promoting its ongoing application by institutionalizing informed decision-making routines. She is a strong advocate for capacity-building and sustainable change, working to translate research insights into practical, real-world applications. Her work extends beyond traditional education boundaries, encompassing workforce development, mental health and health education, policy analysis, and the creation and provision of authentic learning and development opportunities. She has spearheaded numerous high-impact projects addressing relevant problems of practice. Under Dr. Blitz's leadership, Rutgers CESP has become a premier applied translational research and evaluation unit. She leads a dynamic team that secures and manages a multi-million-dollar portfolio through federal, state, and philanthropic grants and contracts. As the executive director of a self-sustaining center, Dr. Blitz ensures that CESP remains engaged in timely, relevant, and impactful work. Dr. Blitz holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in Applied Anthropology from American University. Her scholarship focuses on advancing educational equity, workforce development, and interdisciplinary problem-solving. Through her strategic vision and dedication, Dr. Blitz continues to shape the future of educational research and practice. e : p : cindy.blitz@gse.rutgers.edu (732) 564-9100 x21 Education : Ph.D., Social Welfare; University of Pennsylvania M.A., Applied Anthropology; American University B.A., Political Science/French; Washington University

Back to Our People Daryl Detrick CS Educator & Advocate Daryl Detrick is a passionate computer science educator and advocate for K–12 technology learning. Currently teaching at Warren Hills Regional High School, he’s well known for his innovative approach to curriculum design and for inspiring students to explore the world of computer science. In addition to his classroom role, Daryl serves as the Director for CS4NJ, where he helps shape statewide initiatives aimed at broadening access to quality CS education. His commitment to excellence has also earned him recognition as Warren County Teacher of the Year for 2022–23, underscoring his impact on both his students and the broader educational community. e : p : Education :

Back to Resources Call for Action on Adolescent Depression: What do Schools in NJ Need to Identify and Support Students at Risk for Depression? Policy considerations from school professionals on universal adolescent depression screenings This policy brief presents findings from key informant interviews with NJ educators on what's needed to support universal adolescent depression screenings in schools: guidance, funding, and training. Suggested Citation Call for Action on Adolescent Depression: What Do Schools In New Jersey Need To Identify And Support Students At Risk For Depression? (2022). Project ASPEN. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University. Retrieved from https://cesp.rutgers.edu . There is an alarming increase in the percentage of U.S. adolescents reporting depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, including in New Jersey. Early detection and treatment are key to preventing negative, long-term effects of depression in youth, and current guidelines recommend routine screening for depression in adolescents aged 12-18. Yet rates of adolescent depression screening remain extremely low. School-based programs can be an effective tool for improving rates of screening and early identification of adolescent depression, but critical barriers to implementation remain that can be addressed via sound policy. According to a 2021 Surgeon General’s Advisory, there has been a recent increase in certain mental health symptoms among U.S. adolescents, including depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. From 2009 to 2019, the proportion of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by 40%, and the share of those seriously considering attempting suicide increased by 36%. An analysis of 2018 and 2019 data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reveals a similar upward trend in depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among adolescents in New Jersey.ii Rates of psychological distress among young people, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders have generally increased since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Project ASPEN, 2022 - Call for Action on Adolescent Depression, What do Schools in NJ Need .pdf Download PDF • 722KB Project ASPEN is a collaboration between a team of researchers from Rutgers University and the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Jersey (NAMI-NJ) to improve policy decision-makers’ access to credible and timely research evidence regarding different aspects of formulating and implementing sound youth mental health policies. The project is funded by a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation. Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Our People Teresa G. Duncan, Ph.D. President & Founder e : p : Download CV Education : Affiliations : Biographical Highlights Dr. Duncan has more than 30 years of post-doctoral research experience in applied research and evaluation. Her methodological expertise is in experimental and quasi-experimental designs, program evaluation, survey development, and applied educational and psychological measurement. As an educational psychologist, Dr. Duncan is interested in teaching and learning from pre-K to 16; her content area expertise is in the areas of teacher professional development and student learning, cognition, and achievement, including interventions for at-risk students.

Back to Our People Sahar Sherwani Research Assistant e : p : cesp@gse.rutgers.edu (732) 564-9100 x10 Download CV Education : M.P.P., Public Policy/Public Informatics; Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University B.P.A., Public Administration; National University of Sciences and Technology Affiliations : Biographical Highlights Sahar Khan Sherwani is a Research Assistant at the Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) at Rutgers University, where she contributes to projects aimed at enhancing educational methodologies through qualitative and quantitative analyses of interviews and survey data. She is concurrently pursuing dual master's degrees in Public Policy and Public Informatics at Rutgers, focusing on equitable education policy and workforce development. With over seven years of experience in mixed-methods research, data analysis, and program evaluation, Sahar has collaborated with government institutions, NGOs, and educational organizations both in the United States and internationally. Her proficiency with tools such as STATA, R, Python, SQL, and Power BI enables her to conduct rigorous analyses and provide actionable insights. In addition to her role at CESP, Sahar serves as a Graduate Research Intern at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. She has also participated in academic discussions, including a webinar hosted by the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy titled “Artificial Intelligence: Use, Abuse & An Exciting Future,” where she presented on the evolution and applications of artificial intelligence.

Back to Research Advancing Women in STEM: Assessment and Evaluation of Programs Cynthia L. Blitz The diversity gap in STEM presents both a challenge and opportunity for higher education. Despite high interest from first-generation students, women, transfer students, and marginalized groups, these populations remain underrepresented in science and technology fields. This presentation at the Big Ten Academic Alliance Summit Series on Advancing Undergraduate Women in STEM by research professor Cynthia L. Blitz, titled “Advancing Women in STEM – Program Survey Results,” documented program offerings and best practices at the alliance universities across themes of the Summit and as found in the data from the completed surveys. This included the identification and analysis of barriers to and facilitators of broadening participation. The presentation recommended a roadmap for the alliance universities to perform their own evaluations of individual strengths and weaknesses. A post-presentation plenary discussion further detailed setting program goals and implementing evaluation tools. This presentation was part of the series launch at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. June 2019 Conference: Big Ten Academic Alliance Summit Series on Advancing Undergraduate Women in STEM Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey This presentation reviews university-based programs and best practices and offers evidence-based assessment frameworks for initiatives promoting female participation and success in STEM fields. Citation Blitz, C.L. (2019, June). Advancing Women in STEM: Assessment and Evaluation of Programs [Invited Speaker]. 2019 Undergraduate Women in STEM Summit, New Brunswick, NJ. Retrieved from https://cesp.rutgers.edu . View Online Download PDF Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

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Back to Our People Sahar Sherwani Research Assistant Sahar Khan Sherwani is a Research Assistant at the Center for Effective School Practices (CESP) at Rutgers University, where she contributes to projects aimed at enhancing educational methodologies through qualitative and quantitative analyses of interviews and survey data. She is concurrently pursuing dual master's degrees in Public Policy and Public Informatics at Rutgers, focusing on equitable education policy and workforce development. With over seven years of experience in mixed-methods research, data analysis, and program evaluation, Sahar has collaborated with government institutions, NGOs, and educational organizations both in the United States and internationally. Her proficiency with tools such as STATA, R, Python, SQL, and Power BI enables her to conduct rigorous analyses and provide actionable insights. In addition to her role at CESP, Sahar serves as a Graduate Research Intern at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. She has also participated in academic discussions, including a webinar hosted by the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy titled “Artificial Intelligence: Use, Abuse & An Exciting Future,” where she presented on the evolution and applications of artificial intelligence. e : p : cesp@gse.rutgers.edu (732) 564-9100 x10 Education : M.P.P., Public Policy/Public Informatics; Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University B.P.A., Public Administration; National University of Sciences and Technology

Back to News Rutgers CESP Awarded $4 Million USDOE Grant To Expand Participation in Computer Science-Focused STEM Education The project, entitled "Extending the CS Pipeline: Enhancing Rigor and Relevance in Middle School CS" will work to improve access to high-quality CS education statewide. Rutgers CESP was selected as a USDOE grant awardee in the 2020 award cycle, the only recipient from New Jersey. Their project builds on existing work to enhance CS instruction at the middle school level, working to engage learners and invite them to continue and succeed in the CS pipeline. Rutgers CESP is excited to announce its award from the United States Department of Education through the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) program. The EIR program, with the mission to “create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based innovation to improve student achievement,” competitively awarded $185 million in grants in December 2020 to 28 school districts, higher-education institutions, and nonprofit organizations across the country. Rutgers CESP’s grant is one of only 28 awards nationwide and the only award to a recipient from New Jersey. In collaboration with Dr. Fran Trees from Rutgers Computer Science Department, the“Extending the Computer Science Pipeline” project will support efforts to broaden participation of high-needs students in STEM education – specifically with a computer science focus – through technical assistance (TA) for middle school educators in grades 5-8. Over the course of the grant period, the team will refine and implement a computer science TA Framework (TAF) to support middle school educators from 38 schools across the state with tailored, purposeful professional learning and assistance. Dr. Teresa Duncan of Deacon Hill Research Associates will evaluate the effectiveness of these methods in increasing school and educator capacity and continually refining the grant’s implementation, contributing to the field’s body of knowledge surrounding broadening participation efforts. Overall, the grant will serve approximately 25,000 students in grades 5-8. “Our entire CESP team is proud of the work we’ve done with our group of dedicated computer science education professionals and school leaders to build CSE capacity in schools and we are looking forward to building on and expanding this work on a larger scale with this recent funding, ” remarks project PI and CESP’s Executive Director Cynthia Blitz. For information about the EIR competition, please visit oese.ed.gov . Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

Back to Our People Robert Zywicki, Ed.D., M.B.A. Superintendent in Residence e : p : rzywicki@gse.rutgers.edu (732) 564-9100 x10 Download CV Education : Ed.D.; Saint Peter's University M.B.A.; The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business M.A.; Saint Peter's University B.A.; Rutgers University Affiliations : New Jersey Association of Educational Leaders, NJAEL The School Superintendents Association, AASA Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ASCD Council of the Great City Schools, CGCS Biographical Highlights ￫ Dynamic educational leader with over two decades of experience in transforming educational organizations. ￫ Expert in multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), comprehensive assessment, differentiated instruction, and project-based learning. ￫ Recognized for innovative leadership, earning accolades such as "Superintendent to Watch" by the National School Public Relations Association. Dr. Robert R. Zywicki is a dynamic and innovative educational leader with over two decades of experience transforming educational organizations. His expertise spans multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), comprehensive assessment, differentiated instruction, project-based learning, and school finance, consistently delivering measurable results in student achievement and organizational effectiveness. A proven change agent, Dr. Zywicki's tenure as a two-time PK-12 Superintendent of Schools is marked by significant accomplishments including increased graduation rates, expanded special education inclusion, and successful implementation of major capital projects. His transformative leadership has earned numerous accolades, including recognition as a District Thought Leader by Future Ready Schools, a "Superintendent to Watch" by the National School Public Relations Association, and the "Friend of Education" award from the NJEA for "extraordinary contributions to the profession." As an insightful graduate professor, sought-after keynote presenter, and trusted advisor to scores of urban, suburban, and rural districts, Dr. Zywicki delivers strategic coaching to educational organizations and governance boards nationwide. His expertise has been recognized by universities and state agencies, leading to appointments on advisory boards shaping literacy standards, computer science curriculum, interdistrict school choice, and the allocation of federal funds for at-risk learners. Notably, Dr. Zywicki played an instrumental role in the reopening of New Jersey's schools in September 2020, co-authoring the NJDOE's Road Back COVID-19 reentry manual. He has been featured in articles, podcasts, and webinars by Education Week, District Administration, School Administrator, and ASCD. Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Zywicki demonstrates his commitment to community through coaching youth lacrosse, football, and basketball, and has served as an elected member of his local board of education. His unwavering passion for personalized learning drives his mission to make a meaningful difference for ALL students. Dr. Zywicki is renowned for energizing educational teams and equipping them with actionable strategies to drive meaningful change. His innovative approaches to leadership, instruction, and technology integration continue to open new possibilities for students across the United States.