Nikki Barry (McDaid) is a citizen of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, Idaho and is also of Paiute and Irish descent. Her research is three-pronged and includes engaging in:
1) psychological research about the cognition of human reasoning and decision-making regarding environmental issues and applying these findings to the design of learning environments that support learners to build better climate futures.
2) community-based design research with Indigenous communities to co-design learning environments that support Indigenous learners as we – intergenerationally – continue leadership in addressing climate change and environmental problems.
3) community-based design research to build learning environments where Indigenous, Black, Latin@ and Asian/Asian-American students are seen, heard, supported, believed, and loved toward socio-ecologically just world-building.
Nikki earned her PhD in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University, her MA in Teaching from Pacific University and her BS in Sociology from Northeastern University. She also is a parent of three young children and a former middle school and high school teacher.
Education
- PhD in Learning Sciences, Northwestern University
- MA in Teaching, Pacific University
- BS in Sociology, Northeastern University
Awards, Honors, Fellowships
- Spencer/National Academy of Education dissertation fellowship
- Gates Millennium Scholarship/Fellowship
- Center for Native American and Indigenous Research fellowship (Northwestern)
- Sibyl N. Heide Fellowship (Northwestern)
Select Publications
- McDaid Barry, N. & Bang, M. (2023). Then the Nettle People won’t be lonely: Recognizing plant personhood in an Indigenous STEAM summer program. Cognition and Instruction.
- Bruce, F., Bang, M., Lees, A., McDaid, N., Peters, F., & Bushnell, J. (2023). Indigenous Water Pedagogies: Cultivating Relations Through the Reading of Water. Occasional Paper Series, (49).
- Bang, M., McDaid-Morgan, N., & Tsoodle, A. (2020). Creating science learning environments in which Indigenous students can thrive. National Science Teaching Association Blog.
- Marin, A., Ambo, T., McDaid-Morgan, N., White Eyes, R., Bang, M. (2020). Enacting Relationships of Kinship and Care in Educational and Research Settings. In: Arshad Ali and Teresa McCarty (Eds) Critical Youth Research in Education: Methodologies of Praxis and Care. Routledge.
