Reem Jaafar
(She/her)
Professor, Director of Research, Evaluation, & Program Support, Co-PI the Queens-STEM Academy
Dr. Reem Jaafar has been a professor of mathematics at LaGuardia Community College since 2010. Over the years, she has undertaken numerous complex and innovative collegewide initiatives to increase student success, particularly in STEM fields. In 2022, Dr. Jaafar assumed the role of Co-PI and Director of Research, Evaluation & Program Support for the Queens STEM Academy. This $4.6 million Department of Education-funded initiative is dedicated to enhancing equity in STEM by supporting cohesive structures and experiences for students in STEM as they transfer from LaGuardia Community College to Queens College. The Academy’s innovative approach combines and integrates learning communities, Supplemental Instruction, experiential learning, research academies, and virtual communities. Dr. Jaafar has been a proactive leader in institutional development. She led the college’s strategic plan in 2018 and co-led the College Self-Study for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) from 2019 to 2022, earning multiple commendations. Dr. Jaafar’s scholarship is diverse and includes continuous improvement in teaching and learning, assessments of student outcomes, and theoretical physics. She has presented at national conferences. Dr. Jaafar holds certificates in Project Management, Inclusive STEM Teaching, Student Success Analytics, and Disability Services in Higher education (In Progress). As a co-PI on several grants focused on equity and improving student success in STEM, Dr. Jaafar has received funding from the Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Initiative at CUNY and the U.S. Department of Education. In 2022, she received the Exceptional Woman Award from New York State Assemblymember Cathy Nolan. Dr. Jaafar serves on multiple boards and organizations, including the New Jersey American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network board, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE), and the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE). She also served as a peer evaluator for the MSCHE.
