Associate Professor, Department of Language and Literacy Education The Institution for African American Studies is proud to announce our newly tenured professorial affiliation with Dr. Tisha Lewis Ellison. Dr. Ellison is an Associate professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education. She has a storied education and career path. Her composite experience, expertise, and hopes for a more well rounded educational landscape has led her to her affiliation with the institute and we are equally excited to be be in association with Dr. Ellison's work and aspirations. To better understand the steps that landed her at the University of Georgia and as an institution affiliate Dr. Ellison comments that..."My journey to becoming an educator was not a straight path. I initially majored in communications. However, I embrace this as a vital part of my story. My background and experiences ultimately led me to explore the intersections of family literacy, multimodality, and digital and STEM literacy practices among Black and Latinx families and youth. Along the way, moments of reflection, redirection, and growth—through research, teaching, and personal experiences—have shaped my commitment to normalizing Black families’ and youth’s digital and STEAM literacies while advocating for equitable educational opportunities. Every turn in my journey has deepened my understanding and passion for the work I do today." A sound researcher, student and professional Dr. Ellison has a well informed and intentional way of navigating classrooms and class room audiences. She notes that "I approach teaching from a constructivist perspective, where learning is generative, creative, and experiential—continually shaped through interactions with others and their lived experiences. I encourage students to develop their own understanding of the content, take ownership of their learning, and actively engage in the learning process. I value hearing how my students learn, think, and connect their experiences to teaching and learning. By sharing my knowledge and fostering a collaborative learning environment, I inspire students to engage in intellectual discussions that challenge their perspectives and deepen their passion for learning. " Her vast degree of enthusiasm and passion for teaching as well as a culturally sensitive and informed pedagogy make the partnership between IAAS and Dr. Ellison a natural fit. Dr. Ellison concludes that, "I'm eager to affiliate with the Institute for African American Studies (IAAS) because of my commitment to advancing equity and representation in education, particularly through digital literacies, multimodality, and STEAM practices within Black communities. My work challenges deficit-based narratives, highlighting the cultural strengths and innovations within these communities, which aligns closely with IAAS's mission to broaden scholarly discourse around African American experiences. By joining IAAS, I hope to amplify the intersections of literacy, family life, and digital engagement in Black communities, showcasing how these literacies positively impact education, identity, and community resilience." Thank you Dr. Tisha Lewis Ellison we are so excited for the exponential capacity to produce a thoughtful, rigorous, and well rounded program from your addition to our institution. Welcome! Education Education: Doctor of Philosophy, Reading, University at Albany, Albany, NY Master of Arts, Reading Specialization, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY Master of Science, TV/Radio Programming and Management, Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA (cum laude) Research Research Interests: Family Literacy | Digital Literacies | Black Families’ and Black/Latina/x/é Youth’s Digital and STEAM Literacies | Multimodal Literacies | Race and Education | Community Literacies Grants: Principal Investigator – University of Georgia, Internal Grants and Awards, Office of Research. Junior Faculty Seed Grant in STEM Program (with former doctoral student, Tairan Qiu; 2019-2020) Co-Principal Investigators – The Southeastern Conference Faculty Travel Program (with Drs. Catherine Compton-Lilly, Kristen Perry, and Peter Smagorinsky) (2018-2019) Principal Investigator – Sarah H. Moss Fellowship, University of Georgia, Center for Teaching and Learning. (2018-2019) Principal Investigator – University of Georgia, College of Education, Office of Research Early Career Faculty Research Program (with former doctoral students, Brad Robinson and Tairan Qiu; 2017) Principal Investigator – National Academy of Education, Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (2015-2016) Co-Principal Investigator – Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program (with Dr. Chantee Earl; 2015) Principal Investigator – National Council of Teachers of English Research Foundation Grant (with former doctoral student Huan Wang;* 2013) Selected Publications Selected Publications: Lewis Ellison, T., Compton-Lilly, C., & Rogers, R. (2024). A metasynthesis of family literacy scholarship: Countering and constructing narratives about BIPOC families and communities. Reading Research Quarterly, 59(3), 526-549. Lewis Ellison, T. (2023). Normalizing Black students/youth and their families’ digital and STEM literacies. The Reading Teacher, 76(5), 594-600. Awards, Honors and Recognitions Of note: Recipient – The Divergent Award for Excellence in Literacy in the Digital Age Research. Initiative for Literacy in a Digital Age (2022) Recipient – Early Career Faculty Research Program, UGA Office of Research (2017) Recipient – Early Career Achievement Award, Literacy Research Association (2016) Recipient – Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Academy of Education 2015-2016) Recipient – Digital Champions Fellowship Center for Instructional Innovation, Georgia State University (2015) Recipient – Promising Researcher Award, National Council of Teachers of English (2012) Recipient – Scholars of Color Transitioning into Academic Research Mentoring Program, Literacy Research Association (2011-2012) Recipient – Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color Program, National Council of Teachers of English (2008-2010) Recipient – J. Michael Parker Award, Literacy Research Association (formerly the National Reading Conference) (2008)
