Richard Jay Light

After years of teaching statistics, Light currently focuses on higher education policies and controversies. Created Harvard Assessment Seminars, gathering leaders from 25 universities and colleges, to research the process of enhancing college effectiveness. Developed and chaired HGSE Higher Education Leaders Forum, collaborated with Howard Gardner to explore the topic of “Liberal Arts for the 21st Century" and organized campus leaders to explore experiences of First Generation Students at highly selective campuses. Books include Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds, Summing Up: The Science of Reviewing Research (with David Pillemer), and By Design: Planning Research on Higher Education (with Judith Singer and John Willett). Received the Paul Lazarsfeld award for contributions to science, and named by Vanderbilt University’s Chancellor’s Lecture Series as one of America’s great teachers.