Biography
Anna Colaner holds a PhD and MA in Sociology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a BA in Sociology from the Honors Tutorial College at Ohio University. She is trained as a quantitative and qualitative researcher with specialization in child and family policy; child care and early childhood education; economic sociology; and organizational/market theories.
Colaner’s research uses employs rigorous study designs and analyses to evaluate key policy questions related to child and family policies. The prestigious and highly competitive Child Care Research Scholar grant from the Administration for Children and Families funded her mixed-methods dissertation research. More about her dissertation project may be found by clicking on the tab to the left.
Dr. Colaner currently works as the Data and Outcomes Manager in the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development where she manages Illinois' early childhood state data projects, including the Illinois Early Learning Services Dashboard project and the Illinois Longitudinal Data System.
Ms. Colaner has won several awards for her research, including the aforementioned ACF Child Care Research Scholar grant ($50,000; national), Chancellor's Research Fellowship ($8000), Best Master's Paper Award (departmental), the David P. Street Memorial Award for Engaged Sociology (departmental).
2012 Chicago Area Study
Colaner served a project coordinator for the 2012 Chicago Area Study (CAS), (PI: Rachel Gordon), a multimethod study of Chicago area preschool center directors. Meeting the dual goals of supporting faculty research and graduate student methodological training, this project trained MA and PhD students to conduct in-person surveys and interviews and also included phone surveys (conducted by a survey lab) with directors in 33 income- and racial/ethnically-diverse Chicago ZIP codes. As coauthor, Anna has published multiple research and policy briefs from the study, with more in progress. More information about the 2012 Chicago Area Study may be found here.
Center on Organizational Dynamics
Anna is one of the founding members of the Center on Organizational Dynamics: Technology, Economy, and Culture. COD is a working group composed of organizational scholars at the University of Illinois at Chicago from across disciplines and from various methodological and theoretical traditions. The center hosts speakers and facilitates discussion of research and theory on organizations. Through her work at the center, Anna networks with leading scholars in the field to produce cutting edge research. More about COD may be found here.
Colaner’s research uses employs rigorous study designs and analyses to evaluate key policy questions related to child and family policies. The prestigious and highly competitive Child Care Research Scholar grant from the Administration for Children and Families funded her mixed-methods dissertation research. More about her dissertation project may be found by clicking on the tab to the left.
Dr. Colaner currently works as the Data and Outcomes Manager in the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development where she manages Illinois' early childhood state data projects, including the Illinois Early Learning Services Dashboard project and the Illinois Longitudinal Data System.
Ms. Colaner has won several awards for her research, including the aforementioned ACF Child Care Research Scholar grant ($50,000; national), Chancellor's Research Fellowship ($8000), Best Master's Paper Award (departmental), the David P. Street Memorial Award for Engaged Sociology (departmental).
2012 Chicago Area Study
Colaner served a project coordinator for the 2012 Chicago Area Study (CAS), (PI: Rachel Gordon), a multimethod study of Chicago area preschool center directors. Meeting the dual goals of supporting faculty research and graduate student methodological training, this project trained MA and PhD students to conduct in-person surveys and interviews and also included phone surveys (conducted by a survey lab) with directors in 33 income- and racial/ethnically-diverse Chicago ZIP codes. As coauthor, Anna has published multiple research and policy briefs from the study, with more in progress. More information about the 2012 Chicago Area Study may be found here.
Center on Organizational Dynamics
Anna is one of the founding members of the Center on Organizational Dynamics: Technology, Economy, and Culture. COD is a working group composed of organizational scholars at the University of Illinois at Chicago from across disciplines and from various methodological and theoretical traditions. The center hosts speakers and facilitates discussion of research and theory on organizations. Through her work at the center, Anna networks with leading scholars in the field to produce cutting edge research. More about COD may be found here.