Dr. Francesca López

Biography

Francesca López is the Georgia Thompson Distinguished Professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Analysis at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her research centers on educational practices and policies that promote equity and belonging for historically marginalized students, particularly multilingual learners and students from racially and linguistically diverse backgrounds. She began her career in education as a bilingual (Spanish/English) elementary teacher and later as a high school counselor in El Paso, Texas. López has received numerous recognitions for her work, including being named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the American Psychological Association (APA). Additionally, she was awarded the AERA Midcareer Scholars Color Award in 2024 and the APA Division 15 Article Award in 2023. She has served as Co-Editor for the American Educational Research Journal and the Review of Educational Research, as well as for Educational Psychology Policy and Practice.

Research Interests