Christian D. Solorio

[so-LOHR-ee-oh, rhymes with Oreo]

Professional Background

I am a STEM education researcher and program evaluator specializing in STEM pedagogy and academic support. I care deeply about making education more accessible to all learners by understanding the conceptual challenges students face, the personal and systemic barriers students navigate, and the practices that instructors use.

From my Ph.D. in Physics doing Physics Education Research, I am passionate about understanding and improving student learning experiences in physics classrooms, particularly for quantum mechanics.

During my postdoc at the Rochester Institute of Technology, I've developed an interest in faculty professional development, particularly around education research, and understanding the challenges they face and the communal supports they experience. I also co-instructed a pedagogy course for Learning Assistants that promotes their use of evidence-based practices.

My work primarily utilizes qualitative methods, particularly thematic analysis and case study to analyze participant interviews and in-situ observations. I've used many theoretical frameworks to inform this work including Sense of Community [1], Concept Image [2], and Groundskeeping [3]. As a self-proclaimed theory-lover, I'm always interested in learning and using new theoretical frameworks!

In my recent work as a program evaluator in association with Brockport Research Institute, I've specialized in providing actionable insights to grant-funded education programs in upstate New York. My evaluation work combines qualitative and quantitative methods to provide detailed, insightful summaries of a program's efficacy to ensure the program is aligned with the needs of learners and educators.

Personal Background

I grew up on the North side of Chicago (not a suburb) in a working class family as the oldest of five children. I was motivated to be the first in my family to go to college to make a better life for myself and those around me. Little did I know, I would also end up doing a Ph.D.!

I would not have made it this far in my education without a strong community of support. I strongly value community, which is why I spent 3 years of college as a resident advisor and 5 years as a heavily involved member of my graduate employee union. This care for community carries into my work as an educator, researcher, and evaluator where I advance equitable and data-driven practices to improve outcomes for students.

I'm a collector of hobbies, having learned many things that intersect at creative and technical. I picked up photography, coding, and microcontrollers in undergrad and have continued to tinker since then! Check out some of my photography here. Like many others, I picked up guitar during the pandemic. I don't claim to be any good at it, but I do claim to have fun.

I'm also an avid movie watcher, with an appreciation for the many horror franchises of the 80s. I'm not much of a critic and can find something I like in most movies I watch. If you want to see what I've been watching lately, check out my Letterboxed. If you want to listen to me talk movies, check out the Cinematic Anarchy Podcast where I guest host!