Iheoma U. Iruka PhD. is the Chief Research Innovation Officer and Director of the Center for Early Education Evaluation (CEEE) at HighScope Educational Research Foundation. In this role, Iruka leads research strategy to drive innovation in the field of early childhood education. As director of the CEEE, Dr. Iruka focuses on research that advances the knowledgebase on key factors that address opportunity gaps; and examines HighScope’s curriculum, assessments, and implementations to improve outcomes for children, families, and communities.
Prior to joining HighScope, Dr. Iruka was the Director of Research and Evaluation at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. Iruka previously held the role of Associate Director at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Iruka’s research is centered on determining how early experiences impact poor and ethnic minority children’s learning and development, and the role of the family and education environments and systems.
Dr. Iruka earned a PhD. in applied developmental psychology from the University of Miami. She holds an MA in psychology from Boston University and a BA in psychology from Temple University. Iruka is a current member of several national boards and committees, including Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) and National Black Child Development Institute (NCBDI).