Faculty Directory
Sarah Kiefer, Ph.D.
Sarah Kiefer, Ph.D. is a scholar whose research focuses on adolescents鈥� motivation, peer relationships and development, with particular attention to improving educational outcomes for youth from minoritized and underprivileged backgrounds. Her work seeks to better understand how social and academic motivation, peer dynamics and learning environments shape adolescents鈥� experiences in both school and out-of-school contexts.
Kiefer鈥檚 primary research interests include adolescents鈥� social and academic motivation; peer relations such as social status, help-seeking and peer aggression; and the design of developmentally responsive learning environments. Through longitudinal, school-based research, her scholarship examines how educational settings can more effectively support adolescents鈥� engagement, well-being and success.
She integrates teaching, research and service to advance her work in adolescent motivation and development. Kiefer is committed to guiding prospective and practicing teachers in becoming effective educators, fostering strong partnerships with educational professionals, and advocating for practices that promote positive developmental outcomes for adolescents at the local and national levels.
Kiefer is an active member of the American Educational Research Association and serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Early Adolescence. Her areas of expertise include motivation, peer relationships and adolescent development.
