Elizabeth (Betty) Sturtevant was professor emerita in the Literacy Program Area and was a member of the GMU faculty from 1994 to 2018. She earned her Ph.D. at Kent State University in 1992 in Curriculum and Instruction with a major in Reading/Writing Education and a minor in Multicultural Education. Earlier in her career she was a middle and high school social studies teacher and reading specialist, working with diverse learners as well as teachers in Maryland and New York. Her research, which was published in a variety of journals, including the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, the Journal of Literacy Research, and Literacy Research and Instruction, focused on literacy coaching, adolescent learning in the content areas, and ways to improve instruction for diverse learners. In addition, she studied contexts that support effective teacher decision making and student motivation. For many years, Betty provided leadership as co-chair of the International Reading Association's Commission on Adolescent Literacy and as an editor of the Journal of Literacy Research and the College Reading Association Yearbook. She also authored or co-authored several books and monographs related to adolescent literacy and literacy coaching. She was involved in international work with teachers and policy makers through the Secondary Education Activity (SEA) project in the Republic of Macedonia and as International Editor for the BMENA Literacy Hub, an online peer-reviewed resource designed to provide information on research-based instruction for policy makers in the Middle East and North Africa. Both are projects of the International Reading Association in collaboration with US AID and other organizations.
