Fellows

William Schmidt

William Schmidt

28 May 2025

It is with deep sadness and heartfelt sympathy that we announce the passing of our esteemed fellow Bill Schmidt.

Bill Schmidt was a valued part of our academy for many years, and his dedication, warmth, and contributions touched the lives of many. As founder of the Center for the Study of Curriculum Policy he was not only interested in enhancing education, but eager to establish equality of opportunity for students, which can clearly be seen in his other works as well.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to his family, loved ones, and all who were close to him during this difficult time. We will cherish Bill’s memory and hold it in the highest regard.

In silent remembrance,

Kadriye Ercikan and Olga Troitschanskaia, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the IAE

Bio and Research Interest

William Schmidt was a University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University and founder and director of the Center for the Study of Curriculum Policy. He held faculty appointments in Statistics and Education. Previously he served as National Research Coordinator and Executive Director of the US National Center which oversaw participation of the United States in the IEA sponsored Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). He had published in numerous journals including the Journal of the American Statistical Association, Journal of Educational Statistics, the Journal of Educational Measurement, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, American Affairs Journal, Education Researcher, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, and the Journal of Curriculum Studies. He co-authored twelve books including: Why Schools Matter, Inequality for All, and Schooling Across the Globe: What We Have Learned from Sixty Years of Mathematics and Science International Assessments.

Wolfgang Schneider

Dr. Wolfgang Schneider
Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg

Bio and Research Interest

Wolfgang Schneider is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Germany. He received his PhD in Psychology from the University of Heidelberg in 1979. His research interests include the development of memory and metacognition, giftedness and expertise, the development of reading and spelling, as well as the prevention of reading and math difficulties. He was Vice-president and President of the German Psychological Society (2000-2004), and also Vice-president of the University of Würzburg (2004-2009). He is author and (co-) editor of about 50 books, including a volume on “Memory Development from Early Childhood through Emerging Adulthood” (2015), and (co-)authored more than 500 journal articles and book chapters. Schneider was President of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development (ISSBD) from 2010 to 2012. He is a member of the Leopoldina (German Academy of Natural Sciences).

Yong Zhao

Yong Zhaoe
Foundations Distinguished Professor, University of Kansas

Research Interest

Yong Zhao is a Foundations Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas. He is also a professorial fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Policy, Victoria University in Australia. His works focus on the implications of globalization and technology on education.

Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi

Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi

Bio and Research Interest

Yuko Nonoyama-Tarumi is a Professor in the Sociology Department at Musashi University. She also is the Director of the Global Data Science Course. She is a sociologist whose research interest is inequality in student achievement, with primary focus on family background, family structure, and parenting. She uses quantitative methods, mostly large-scale cross-national data as well as national data. Dr. Nonoyama-Tarumi is interested in policy-relevant questions and is currently a member of Expert Committee of National Achievement Study. She has worked as a staff at JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and UNICEF, and as a consultant to OECD and UNESCO Global Monitoring Report. Her interest has always been in inequality among countries and within countries, and how to improve the educational situation of economically-disadvantaged students.