Mi'Kayla j. Newell, Phd

Mi’Kayla J. Newell, Ph.D., serves as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Center for Broadening Participation in Computing at Morehouse College. Her scholarly pursuits center psychological and social factors that influence academic success and persistence in STEM. Her research examines how learning environments, interpersonal experiences, and institutional contexts shape students’ trajectories within STEM disciplines. Through her work, she hopes to contribute to the development of inclusive educational environments that support the discipline-specific identity development of STEM learners. 

Dr. Newell serves as Co-PI on the NSF FINDERS FOUNDRY planning proposal, An AI-Augmented Research Case Simulation Platform for High School Research Experiences (NSF Award: 2627575), which aims to develop a research case simulation that provides students with hands-on research experience and expands access to research skill-building. She also currently collaborates on the NSF HBCU-UP project BPR: Identifying Factors that Impact Success and Persistence in Computer Science Education (NSF Award #2508796). This multi-institutional project examines how institutional- and department-level factors influence HBCU students' persistence and career aspirations in computing. 

In addition to her postdoctoral role, Dr. Newell conducts program evaluations for informal STEM training programs. She develops, assesses, and tracks key performance indicators to provide evidence of program effectiveness and student outcomes across middle–postbaccalaureate programs.