Project School

Denise M. (Dugas) Wilson

*** **** *** ***, ************, PA 19428

484-***-**** – ******.********@*****.***

Professional Skills

Researcher with experience in:

• Project management, methodology, statistical analysis, and writing

Professional Experience

Pew Charitable Trusts, Washington, DC October 2009 – Present

Senior Research Associate, Economic Mobility Project October 2011 – Present

• Support and develop original research using datasets, such as the Panel Study of Income

Dynamics (PSID), that focus on the drivers of an individual’s ability to move up or down the

economic ladder both over a lifetime and across generations

• Conduct analyses and write the key findings for two data interactives on state economic mobility

and the extent of absolute mobility that significantly increased traffic to the Pew Charitable

Trusts website (see publications and presentations section for links)

• Review statistical code and analyses to determine accuracy and validity of reports from

contractors using STATA to ensure clarity and consistency

• Act as the project lead for external reviews and quality control of all research

• Support the design and development of seven reports and two interactives, including the figures,

detailing edits and checking they are properly made

Research Associate, State Fiscal Health and Economic Growth October 2009 – October 2011

• Conducted rigorous research, including literature searches and data collection, and collaborated

on writing three reports meant to inform state policymakers

• Managed contractor research including coordination of meetings and assignments to ensure

deadlines were met and all parties were on task, and checked the accuracy and validity of the

data collection

• Significantly contributed to creating two methodologies and the collection of publicly available

data to asses states on their knowledge of how to make cost effective policy decisions on

transportation investments and evaluation of tax incentives

• Performed quality control tasks on reports to ensure the highest level of accuracy

• Supported the creation and maintenance of a database catalog that allowed the retention of

institutional knowledge and data obtained through independent research

University of Maryland, College Park, MD September 2004 – June 2009

Graduate Research Assistant, After School Programs September 2008 – June 2009

• Analyzed data using SPSS, STATA, and EQS for reports from a randomized study of the effects

of the program on student behavior and academic performance

• Wrote one journal article and collaborated on seven others for this project

Management Information System Manager, After School Programs June 2007 – September 2008

• Assisted in the development of a web-based management information system (MIS) used to

collect data on the fidelity of the program (including attendance, attendance incentives,

prevention curriculum, and daily program proceedings)

• Created a technical manual for and trained staff to use the MIS

• Managed data entry done by 20 staff and prepared reports to ensure accuracy

• Created survey instruments using Remark OMR and trained graduate and undergraduate

assistants on how to enter the survey data into it

• Supervised two undergraduate assistants

• Assisted with participant recruitment and randomization, survey administration to youth and

teachers, and data coding and analysis

Graduate Research Assistant, Teen Courts September 2005 – June 2007

• Conducted research, created survey instruments using Remark OMR, and entered and analyzed

data using SPSS and STATA

• Scheduled interviews with participants and administered surveys to youth

• Assisted with the development of an observation instrument and conducted observations

• Contributed to writing the technical report and prepared and published Masters thesis research

examining gender differences in the effects of teen courts

Graduate Research Assistant, Low Income Father Involvement September 2004 – January 2005

• Conducted research by administering quantitative and qualitative surveys to low income fathers

and entering and analyzing the data using SPSS

Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA June 2003 – May 2004

Undergraduate Researcher, Young Adult Prisoners

• Shared primary communication responsibilities with a liaison at the prison to coordinate the

focus group and survey administration

• Adapted survey materials and conducted a focus group with prisoners

• Entered and analyzed data using SPSS and prepared an honors paper

Delaware County Office of Behavioral Health, Upper Darby, PA June 2002 – August 2002

Intern

• Assisted the tobacco contract compliance manager with various duties related to funds awarded

to the County through the tobacco settlement

Education

The Principles of Marketing Research Certification, University of Georgia, Center for Continuing

Education (In Pursuit)

M.A., Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

• Received multiple grants to support research

B.S., Psychology, Cum Laude, Departmental Honors, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA

• Received multiple scholarships and a research grant

Skills

(1) Quantitative data analysis using STATA and SPSS (2) Qualitative analysis (3) Program evaluation

(4) Policy analysis (5) Report, technical documentation, and methodology writing (5) Received

communications and presentation training

Publications and Presentations

Publications

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (January 2013). How Much Protection Does a College Degree

Afford? The Impact of the Recession on Recent College Graduates. Washington, DC: The Pew

Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (November 2012). Weathering the Great Recession: Did High-

Poverty Neighborhoods Fare Worse? Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (September 2012). When Baby Boomers Delay Retirement, Do

Younger Workers Suffer? Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (July 2012). Pursuing the American Dream: Economic Mobility

Across Generations. Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Charitable Trusts. (April 2012). Evidence Counts: Evaluating State Tax Incentives for Jobs and

Growth. Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (March 2012). Economic Mobility and the American Dream:

Examining generational, racial, income, educational, and employment status differences.

Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (December 2011). Housing Wealth and Higher Education:

Building a foundation for economic mobility. Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (November 2011). Does America Promote Mobility As Well As

Other Nations? Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Pew Charitable Trusts. (May 2011). Measuring Transportation Investments: The road to results.

Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Rorie, M., Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A.B, Wilson, D.M. & Connell, N. (February 2011). Structure and

deviancy training in after-school programs. Journal of Adolescence, 34, 105-117.

The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Public Policy Institute of California. (September 2010). Facing Facts:

Public attitudes and fiscal realities in five stressed state. Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable

Trusts.

Wilson, D.M., Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A.B. Rorie, M. & Connell, N.M. (September 2010). Youth

development in after-school leisure activities. Journal of Early Adolescence, 30, 668-690.

Cross, A., Gottfredson, D.C., Wilson, D.M., Rorie, M. & Connell, N.M. (June 2010). Implementation

quality and positive experiences in after-school programs. American Journal of Community

Psychology, 45, 370-380.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A.B., Wilson, D.M., Rorie, M. & Connell, N. (June 2010). A randomized trial

of the effects of an enhanced after-school program for middle school students. Final report

submitted to the U.S. Department of Education Institute for Educational Sciences.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A.B., Wilson, D.M., Rorie, M. & Connell, N. (June 2010). An experimental

evaluation of the All Stars prevention curriculum. Prevention Science, 11, 142-154.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A.B., Wilson, D.M., Rorie, M. & Connell, N. (June 2010). Effects of

participation in after-school programs for middle school students: A randomized trial. Journal of

Research on Educational Effectiveness, 3, 282-313.

Cross, A.B., Gottfredson, D.C., Wilson, D.M., Rorie, M. & Connell, N. (June 2009). The impact of

after-school programs on the routine activities of middle school students: Results from a

randomized, controlled trial. Criminology and Public Policy, 8, 301-322.

Wilson, D.M., Gottfredson, D.C. & Stickle, W.P. (January 2009). Gender differences in effects of teen

courts on delinquency: A theory guided evaluation. Journal of Criminal Justice, 37, 21-27.

Stickle, W.P., Connell, N.M., Wilson, D.M. & Gottfredson, D.C. (2008). An experimental evaluation of

teen courts. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 4, 137-163.

Technical Reports

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A.B., Wilson, D.M., Connell, N., & Rorie, M. (2008). A randomized trial of

the effects of an enhanced after school program. College Park: Maryland. Unpublished report

available from the authors.

Povitsky Stickle, W.T., Connell, N.M., Dugas, D. & Gottfredson, D. (2006) Teen Court: A Youth

Strategies Evaluation Final Report. A Report to the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and

Prevention. State of Maryland.

Interactives

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (2013). Faces of Economic Mobility. Washington, DC: The Pew

Charitable Trusts. http://www.pewstates.org/research/data-visualizations/faces-of-economic-

mobility-858********

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (2013). Income and Wealth in America Across Generations.

Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts. http://www.pewstates.org/research/data-

visualizations/income-and-wealth-in-america-across-generations-858********

The Pew Economic Mobility Project. (2012). Economic Mobility of the States. Washington, DC: The

Pew Charitable Trusts. http://www.pewstates.org/research/reports/economic-mobility-of-the-

states-858********

Professional Presentations

Wilson, D.M. (November 2008). Effects of Participation in a Structured After School Program for

Middle School Students: Introduction and Implementation. Paper presented at the 2008 annual

American Society of Criminology Conference, St. Louis, MO.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A., Wilson, D.M., Rorie, M., & Connell, N.M. (June 2008). The Baltimore

County Middle School After School Collaboration Project. Poster presented at the annual

Institute of Education Sciences Research Conference, Washington, DC.

Wilson, D.M. (May 2008). After School Leisure Activities and Youth Development. Paper presented at

the 2008 annual Society for Prevention Research Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Wilson, D.M. (November 2007). Leisure Activities and Prosocial Development. Paper presented at the

2007 annual American Society of Criminology Conference, Atlanta, GA.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A., Wilson, D.M. & Connell, N.M. (June 2007). The Baltimore County

Middle School After School Collaboration Project. Poster presented at the annual Institute of

Education Sciences Research Conference, Washington, DC.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A., Dugas, D. & Connell, N.M., (May 2007). The Baltimore County Middle

School After School Collaboration Project. Paper presented at the annual Society for Prevention

Research Conference, Washington, DC.

Dugas, D. (November 2006). Does the Effectiveness of Teen Court Depend Upon Gender? Paper

presented at the 2006 annual American Society of Criminology Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Gottfredson, D.C., Cross, A., Connell, N.M., & Dugas, D. (November 2006). The Effects of Enhanced

After School Programs on Educational Outcomes – Overview and Pilot Study Results. Poster

presented at the annual American Society of Criminology Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Gottfredson, D.C., Connell, N.M., Cross, A. & Dugas, D. (June 2006). The Baltimore County Middle

School After School Collaboration Project. Poster presented at the annual Institute of Education

Sciences Research Conference, Washington, DC.

Dugas, D. (April 2004). Who Am I, Where Have I Been, and Where Am I Going: A Look Inside the

Lives of Young Adult Male Prisoners. Poster session presented at the annual University of

Scranton Psychology Conference, Scranton, PA.

Dugas, D. (August 2003). The Relationship between Identity Status, TV Viewing Habits and

Preferences, and Race. Paper presentation presented at Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA.

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