Jennifer D. Turner

 Jennifer D. Turner received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a Literacy specialization from Michigan State University. She is currently Associate Professor in Reading Education and the Director of the Reading Specialist program in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership at the University of Maryland. Dr. Turner’s research focuses on three interrelated areas: (a) Black young people’s futures; (b) the pedagogical practices in P-12 schools that cultivate and affirm the futures of youth of Color; and (c) critical visual and multimodal research methods. Her research has been funded by the American Educational Research Association (AERA); the William T. Grant Foundation Inaugural Writing Fellowship; and the Elva Knight Research Grant from the International Literacy Association. Dr. Turner has also received recognition for her teaching and mentoring from the University of Maryland. Dr. Turner was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, and was a college access counselor before starting her academic career.