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Dr. Gale Sinatra is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Education and the Stephen H. Crocker Professor at Rossier. Her areas of expertise include climate science education, evolution education, learning theory, knowledge construction, conceptual change learning, and the public understanding of science.

Her recent research focuses on understanding the cognitive and motivational processes that lead to successful learning in science. Specifically, Sinatra focuses on the role of motivation and emotion in teaching and learning about controversial topics, such as biological evolution and climate change. Sinatra developed a model of conceptual change learning, which describes how motivational factors contribute to the likelihood that individuals will change their thinking about a scientific topic. Her co-authored book, Science Denial: Why It Happens and What to Do About It, was published in 2021 by Oxford University Press.Ìý

Sinatra received her B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Sinatra is the past Editor of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 15 journal, Educational Psychologist. She served as Vice President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division C, Learning and Instruction and President of APA's Division 15, Educational Psychology. She isÌýa Fellow of both APA and AERA and a Member of the National Academy of Education.

2022ÌýÌýÌýÌý Elected Member of the National Academy of Education.

2021ÌýÌýÌýÌý Recipient of the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ School of Education Excellence in Research Award.

2020ÌýÌýÌýÌý Recipient of the American Educational Research Association, Division C Learning and Instruction Sylvia Scribner Award.

2018ÌýÌýÌýÌý Ranked in Top 20 of Women Educational Psychologists Publishing Productivity Study by Greenbaum et al. (2018)

Ìý2018ÌýÌýÌýÌý Named Stephen H. Crocker Chair, º£½ÇÂÛ̳ School of Education.

2017ÌýÌýÌýÌý Named a Finalist for the Frank Prize in Research in Public Interest Communications.

2017ÌýÌýÌýÌý Elected President of American Psychological Association Division 15, Educational Psychology.

2017ÌýÌýÌýÌý Awarded USC Mentoring Award for Faculty/Postdoctoral Mentoring.

2016ÌýÌýÌýÌý Named a Fellow of The Society for Text and Discourse.

2013ÌýÌýÌýÌý Winner of the for article co-authored with students Abby Beck and Doug Lombardi.

2009 Elected Vice President of Division C, Learning and Instruction, of the American Educational Research Association.

2009 Named Fellow of Division C, Learning and Instruction, of the American Educational Research Association.

2009 Ranked 16th in Educational Psychology Publishing Productivity Study by Jones et al. (2009)

2008 Named Member, International Advisory Board of the Centre for Learning Research, University of Turku, Finland.

2007 Named a Fellow of Division 15, Educational Psychology, of the American Psychological

• Association.

• ÌýEDUC 642 Controversies in Learning and Instruction
• EDUC 712 Issues in Human Motivation

• Books
• Sinatra, G. M. & Pintrich, P. R. (Eds.) (2003). Intentional Conceptual Change. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Harris, K., McCormick, C. B., Sinatra, G. M., & Sweller, J. (Eds.). (2012). Critical Theories and Models of Learning and Development Relevant to Learning and Teaching, Volume 1. In K. Harris & S. Graham (Eds). APA Educational Psychology Handbook Series. APA Publications.
• Journal Articles (refereed)
• Danielson, R. W.*, Jacobson, N. G.*, Patall, E. A., Sinatra, G. M., Adesope, O. O., Kennedy, A. A.* U., H. Bhat, B., Ramazan, O., Akinrotimi, B., Nketah, G., Jin, G., & Sunday, O. J. (2024). The effectiveness of refutation text in confronting scientific misconceptions: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychologist. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1080/00461520.2024.2365628
• Bruine de Bruin, W., Kruke, L.*, Sinatra, G. M., & Schwarz, N. (2024). Should we change the term we use for “climate change"? Climatic Change, 177(129). DOI: 10.1007/s10584-024-03786-3
• Sinatra, G. M., Mazmanian, D., Dalrymple, M., Moghaddam, M. (2024). Addressing sustainability in higher education teaching, research, and practice: Lessons from one university’s efforts. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 56(4), 17-23. DOI: 10.1080/00091383.2024.2371773
• Lombardi, D.* Sinatra, G. M. Bailey, J. M., & Butler, L. P. (2024). Seeking a comprehensive theory about the development of scientific thinking. Educational Psychology Review, 36(72). DOI: 10.1007/s10648-024-09911-z
• Herrick, I. R.*, Sinatra, G. M., Lombardi, D.* (2023) Is that plausible? How to scientifically evaluate evidence in a post-truth world. The Science Teacher, 90(3), 55-59.
• Danielson, R. W.*, Sinatra, G. M., Trevors, G., Muis, K. R., Pekrun, R., & Heddy, B. C.* (2023). Can Multiple Texts Prompt Causal Thinking? The Role of Epistemic Emotions. The Journal of Experimental Education, 91(4), 621-635. DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2022.2107604
• Book Chapters
• Sinatra, G. M. & Mason, L. (2013). Beyond knowledge: Learner characteristics influencing conceptual change (pp. 377-394).Ìý In S. Vosniadou (Ed.).Ìý International Handbook of Research on Conceptual Change (2nd edition). Netherlands:Ìý Springer.
• Sinatra, G. M. & Chinn, C. (2011).Ìý Thinking and reasoning in science:Ìý Promoting epistemic conceptual change.Ìý In K. Harris, C. B. McCormick, G. M. Sinatra, & J. Sweller (Eds.).Ìý Critical Theories and Models of Learning and Development Relevant to Learning and Teaching, Volume 1 (pp. 257-282). In K. Harris & S. Graham (Eds.). APA Educational Psychology Handbook Series.Ìý APA Publications.

2024 Named Distinguished Professor, University of Southern California

2022 - present Associate Dean of Research, Rossier School of Education

2012 Professor, Joint Appointed in Psychology, USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

2012Ìý Professor, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California.

2003-2006 ÌýInterim Graduate Dean, Graduate College, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Professional Organizations

• American Educational Research Association, Division C, Fellow
• American Psychological Association, Division 15, Fellow
• Conceptual Change Special Interest Groupof EARLI
• European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)

Dr. Sinatra research agenda exploresÌýthe cognitive, motivational, and emotional processes that lead to attitude change, conceptual change, and successful learning, particularly in STEM and public understanding of science

2018ÌýÌýÌýÌý National Science Foundation, AISL Program. Co-PI. Re-Living Paleontology: Studying How Augmented Reality Immersion and Interaction Impact Engagement and Communicating Science to the Public. Awarded $1,471,459.

2014ÌýÌýÌýÌý Mattel Children’s Foundation. Mattel Speedometry Phase II District Wide RTC, Co-PI. Awarded $784,000.00.

2014ÌýÌýÌýÌý Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Co-PI, Fostering epistemic belief change: The role of epistemic emotions and self-regulated learning. Total Award: $497,286 (CAD). Awarded $13,700 (CAD) to USC.

2014ÌýÌýÌýÌý Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Scaled Models for Certificate Delivery Phase II, Awarded: $99,242.00.

2014ÌýÌýÌýÌý Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education First in the World Program, Key Personnel, Improving Access to College through Games, Technology, and Social Media. Awarded: $3,200,000.

2013ÌýÌýÌýÌý Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Scaled Models for Certificate Delivery, Awarded: $9,523.81.

2012ÌýÌýÌýÌý Mattel Children’s Foundation. Using Hot Wheels to Teach Mathematics and Science Concepts. Awarded $250,000.

2011ÌýÌýÌýÌý Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Epistemic beliefs and emotions: Examining their roles in self-regulated learning and epistemic change. Awarded $167,236 (CAD).

2010ÌýÌýÌýÌý National Science Foundation, REESE Program, Co-PI.Ìý Understanding Emergence.Ìý Awarded $130,000.