Iris Daruwala (Hemmerich)

Iris (Hemmerich) Daruwala, PhD has a strong background in education research and policy evaluation. Iris is currently working as a Senior Researcher at the American Institutes for Research, where they have been since 2021. Prior to this role, they worked as an Education Researcher at the same organization from 2017 to 2020. Iris also held the position of Senior Associate at Social Policy Research Associates from 2020 to 2021, focusing on equity, education, and community change.

Iris's research experience includes designing policy implementation studies and program evaluations, developing research instruments, managing project teams, conducting fieldwork, and analyzing data to produce new knowledge for academic and public audiences. Notable projects they have worked on include a policy implementation study examining the adoption of Brazil's national common core curricular standards in education, and a randomized control trial evaluating the impact of a digital, game-based mathematics program on sixth graders' fraction comprehension.

Earlier in their career, Iris worked as a Doctoral Research Fellow at Teachers College, Columbia University from 2015 to 2018, and as a Research Associate at the American Institutes for Research from 2012 to 2015. In these roles, they conducted quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis across various research projects. Their responsibilities included project and proposal management, data management and analysis, conducting interviews and focus groups, developing analysis frameworks, writing technical reports, and coordinating the implementation of study interventions.

Iris's work experience also includes roles as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Urban Strategies Council in 2011, and as a Legal Advocate at Justice Now in 2009.

Overall, Iris (Hemmerich) Daruwala, PhD has extensive experience in education research, policy evaluation, and project management.

Iris (Hemmerich) Daruwala, PhD pursued their education history with a strong focus on Sociology and Education. From 2015 to 2020, they attended Teachers College, Columbia University, where they obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Sociology and Education, specializing in the Department of Education Policy and Social Analysis. Additionally, during the same period, they earned a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in the same field from the same institution. Prior to that, Iris completed their Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree at the University of California, Berkeley, from 2007 to 2011. Their primary area of study during their undergraduate years was International Development, with a minor in Education.