Administrator • Professor • Scholar • Mentor
Dedicated to advancing institutional excellence through strategic and visionary leadership, scholarly inquiry, and a deep commitment to facilitating the success of students and faculty.
About
With a career spanning academic leadership, teaching, and research, I bring a comprehensive understanding the challenges and opportunities facing higher education today. My administrative experience has given me the tools to lead with vision, build high-performing teams, and drive meaningful institutional change.
As a professor, I remain deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars and practitioners while contributing to my field through ongoing research and publications. The best administrators never lose sight of what happens in the classroom and the lab and keep this as their north star.
I am passionate about creating innovative, and student-centered environments where both faculty and students can thrive.I am also passionate about the power of education to change the lives. For that reason I am committed to provide as many pathways to access higher education.
Expertise
My research focuses on the design, development, and integration of technology as a means of transforming how we teach and learn. Additionally, I have begun to establish a research agenda focused on doctoral education.
A review of Game-Based Learning (GBL) research shows it often focuses on proof-of-concept studies, like 'Can games support learning?', with less emphasis on research that helps apply GBL effectively to meet the diverse needs of learners both inside and outside the classroom.
Currently, I concentrate on using both analog and digital games as tools to enhance middle school math students' performance and enrich mathematics instruction. My approach to GBL centers around three key areas: designing and developing educational games, incorporating GBL into math classrooms, and supporting professional development to help math teachers build their GBL expertise.
My research interests include computer science education at the K-12 level. I have participated in projects related to the design, development, and implementation of professional development programs in this field.
Additionally, I am currently involved in an NSF-funded initiative aimed at engaging students in rural Alabama through the use of physiological computing devices to expand access and promote participation in STEM careers and disciplines.
My research focuses on improving doctoral education's structure, experience, and outcomes. I aim to help programs support student success through better curricular design, mentorship, and professional development.
I explore ways to reduce time to degree, improve dissertation processes, and prepare students for various careers. I also examine how universities can align training with workforce and societal needs. My goal is to find practical strategies for graduate schools and faculty to enhance student learning and development, making doctoral education more effective, inclusive, and future-ready.
Curriculum Vitae
My CV reflects a career built on the intersection of administrative leadership, scholarship, teaching, and service. It includes my academic appointments, publications, presentations, grants, and professional engagements.
Last updated: March 2026
André R Denham, Ph.D.
Publications