Dihao Leng, Ph.D. ’24, (Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment) has been named a recipient of the IEA Bruce H. Choppin Award. This international honor recognizes outstanding empirical dissertation research. Back in 2023, she was awarded a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship by a panel of Lynch School Faculty, an honor that provided $30,000 to support her research. 

Since then, her work has expanded across multiple research projects, all centered on improving how student achievement is measured and the persistence of disparities between different groups of students. Through her research, Leng tackles some of the most pressing questions in modern education, exploring how students learn best and what factors contribute to gaps in learning.

Dihao Leng

Dihao Leng

Leng focuses on international assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), using them to examine patterns in student performance across countries and demographics. By looking beyond test scores to include process data (information about how students engage with exams), her work seeks to uncover hidden differences in test-taking behavior that may help explain inequities in outcomes.

Leng emphasizes that her work is deeply collaborative. She credits her dissertation chair, Dr. Matthias von Davier, Monan Professor in Education, for his continued guidance and support throughout her research. Still, she notes that this recognition is not her ultimate goal, but rather a motivation to continue her scholarship.

“The recognition also motivates me to continue contributing to the improvement of educational assessment practices. I see it not as an endpoint, but as encouragement to keep pursuing rigorous, meaningful, and impactful educational research.”

—Dihao Leng

Senior Research Specialist
TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center 

As Leng continues her work on achievement gaps in students, her research contributes to a growing field focused on making education more equitable. At the Lynch School, that mission remains central: enhancing the human condition, expanding the human imagination, and making the world more just. Dr. Dihao Leng’s work reflects that vision; advancing not only research, but the possibilities for students worldwide. 

 

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