Wai Lab

The Wai lab conducts research on social science and education policy problems from a multidisciplinary perspective to help improve the lives of students in Arkansas, the nation, and around the world. Wai is also leader of the SMART (Supporting More ARkansas Talent) initiative.

In addition to Jonathan Wai, here are current members and alumni of our research group, as well as some current grant funded projects and multiple additional collaborators.

Current members

Al Mansor Helal – Doctoral Academy Fellow, University of Arkansas
Shamim is pursuing his PhD in Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Political Science from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. He is interested in gifted education policy, program evaluation, and ensuring educational opportunities for all students.

Ashley Rieske – Doctoral Academy Fellow, University of Arkansas
Ashley is pursuing her PhD in Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Arkansas and is a National Board Certified Teacher who served as a gifted and talented facilitator in Rogers Public Schools. She is interested in gifted education policy, twice-exceptional students, and educational acceleration.

Andrea Honeycutt – Distinguished Doctoral Fellow, University of Arkansas
Andrea is pursuing her PhD in Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Psychology from Syracuse University. She is interested in data development, psychology, and higher education policy.

Alumni

Andy Parra Martinez, PhD – Teaching Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University
Andy was a Schmidt Futures postdoctoral fellow at the University of Arkansas in the Wai lab. He holds a PhD from Purdue University. His most recent work focuses on global and multidisciplinary talent identification and development, as well as achievement and motivation in secondary education students. He now works in the educational psychology department of Mississippi State University as an Assistant Professor.

Bich Thi Ngoc Tran, PhD – Research Scientist, Dartmouth College
Bich was a graduate student in the Department of Education Reform and completed her PhD in Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. She holds an MA in Political Science from Illinois State University and a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Asian University for Women, Bangladesh. Originally from Vietnam, her dissertation was on improving gifted education in Arkansas. She now works at The Dartmouth Institute in the Center for Program Design and Evaluation.

Matthew H. Lee, PhD – Clinical Assistant Professor, Kennesaw State University
Matt was a graduate student in the Department of Education Reform and completed his PhD in Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. He has been collaborating with the Wai lab mostly since graduating on GRE related projects, though his work focuses largely on applying quantitative research methods from econometrics and statistics to studying the intersection of faith and education. He now works in the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University as an Assistant Professor of Economics.

Miranda Vernon – Research Associate, University of Arkansas
Miranda completed her BS in Business Administration with a major in financial management and investment at the University of Arkansas. She is currently working on a graduate degree in social work at the University of Arkansas.

Munni Akter – Research Associate, University of Arkansas
Munni completed her BA in Persian Language and Literature at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is currently working on a masters degree in political science at the University of Arkansas.

Some current grant funded projects and collaborators

Making the Case for Universal Screening in Gifted Identification in Arkansas, which is part of an ongoing Research Practice Partnership seeking to improve gifted education in Arkansas and beyond with Sarah C. McKenzie of the University of Arkansas, Dustin Seaton of the Northwest Arkansas Education Services Cooperative, Bich Tran of Dartmouth College (Arkansas alum), Andy Parra-Martinez of the University of Arkansas, and Al Mansor-Helal of the University of Arkansas. Walton Family Foundation.

A Multidisciplinary Exploration and Synthesis of Talent Research, in collaboration with Andy Parra-Martinez, Al Mansor-Helal, and Miranda Vernon of the University of Arkansas. Schmidt Futures.

Career Trajectories of Intellectually Talented Youths from the Mid-1990s to the Present, in collaboration with Jeff Allen working on gifted and talented research with the ACT database. Individual Donor.

Validity Evidence on the Spatial Ability Assessment for STEM Instruction and Evaluation, along with co-investigators Joni M. Lakin and team at the University of Alabama and David Uttal of Northwestern University. Institute of Education Sciences Measurement/NCER-STEM.

Historical Trend Analysis of GRE Scores by Test Taker Characteristics, Test Taking Frequency, and Tilt or Score Patterns, ongoing project with Matthew H. Lee of ACSI (Arkansas alum) and Harrison J. Kell. Educational Testing Service.

Testing Bayesian Measurement Invariance with Unbalanced Groups: Method Advancement and Application in Gifted Education, with Xinya Liang, Ejike Edeh, and Chunhua Cao. University of Arkansas.

Exploring the Links Between Spatial Reasoning and Vocational or “Middle Skill” Jobs Using a Machine Learning Approach, with Xinya Liang, Jiaying Chen, and Joni M. Lakin. University of Arkansas.

Swimming Against the Current: ELL’s Postsecondary Aspirations and Barriers to Higher Education, with Rian R. Djita, Andy Parra-Martinez, Kate Barnes, and Sarah C. McKenzie. University of Arkansas.

Recognition

Shamim was recently recognized by the Mensa Education and Research Foundation with the Dissertation Mini-Grant award for his proposed dissertation.

Sarah McKenzie and Jonathan Wai, for their contributions and value of their academic work and research to advance gifted education in Arkansas, were presented the highest award by the Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education, the Award of Excellence. Past recipients have been Arkansas governors, superintendents, legislators, and distinguished educators.

Four papers in collaboration with Wai lab members were recently recognized by International Mensa Education and Research Foundation Awards for Excellence in Research, which “celebrate groundbreaking investigations in the disciplines of intelligence, intellectual giftedness, and related fields”:

Lee, M. H., & Wai, J. (2023). Initial vs. retest GRE performance: A study of one million Graduate Record Examination test-retest observations. Personality and Individual Differences, 207, 112180.

Tran, B. T. N., Wai, J., McKenzie, S. C., Mills, J., & Seaton, D. (2022). Expanding gifted identification to capture academically advanced, low-income, or other disadvantaged students: The case of Arkansas. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 45(1), 64-83.

Lakin, J. M., & Wai, J. (2020). Spatially gifted, academically inconvenienced: Spatially talented students experience less academic engagement and more behavioural issues than other talented students. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(4), 1015-1038.

Brown, M. I., Wai, J., & Chabris, C. F. (2021). Can you ever be too smart for your own good? Comparing linear and nonlinear effects of cognitive ability on life outcomes. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(6), 1337-1359.

Photos

Sarah McKenzie, Ashley Rieske, Dustin Seaton, and Jonathan Wai, award winners recognized by Arkansans for Gifted and Talented Education (AGATE) at the 2025 conference in Hot Springs, AR.