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Julia Link Roberts, Ed.D.
Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies
Director of The Center for Gifted Studies
Western Kentucky University

 

Academic Rank

  • Professor

Education

  • Ed.D. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma - 1970 - Education/Social Studies
  • M.S. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma - 1968 - Education/Social Studies
  • B.A. University of Missouri - 1962 History and the Humanities - Columbia, Missouri


Specializations

  • Gifted Education American History
  • Curriculum Middle and Secondary Education
  • Leadership

Honors

  • Listed in Profiles of Influence in Gifted Education: Historical Perspectives and Future Directives (2003), published on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the National Association for Gifted Children
  • Mahurin Endowed Professor for Gifted Studies, 2002
  • The National Association for Gifted Children David W. Belin Advocacy Award, 2001
  • Distinguished Professor, Western Kentucky University, 1998
  • Educator of the Year, National Association for Gifted Children, 1998
  • Phi Beta Delta - Charter Member, 1995
  • Western Kentucky University Award for Public Service, 1991
  • Kentucky Association for Gifted Education Distinguished Service Award, 1991
  • Who’s Who in American Education, 1990
  • Outstanding Faculty Member, Western Kentucky University Board of Regents, 1989
  • Phi Beta Kappa, 1962

Professional Memberships

  • American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Institutional Representative
  • Council for Exceptional Children
  • Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, Board Member
  • National Association for Gifted Children, Board Member
  • National Middle School Association
  • The Association for the Gifted, Past Board Member
  • World Council for Gifted and Talented Children, U.S. Delegate

The Center for Gifted Studies

  • 1998-present Director, Western Kentucky University Mathematics Vertical Team
  • Summer Institute (Co-sponsored by the College Board)
  • 1997-present Director, The Center for Gifted Studies Leadership Institute
  • 1996-present Director, Western Kentucky University English Vertical Team Summer Institute (Co-sponsored by the College Board)
  • 1989-present The Center for Gifted Studies, Director
  • 1986-present Director, Travel/Study Program for High School and Eighth Grade Honors Students (France, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, The People’s Republic of China, Russia)
  • 1984-present Director, Western Kentucky University Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY) - Duke’s first cooperative program
  • 1984-present Director, Western Kentucky University Advanced Placement Summer Institute (Co-sponsored with the College Board)
  • 1983-present Director, Western Kentucky University Summer Camp for Academically Talented Middle School Students (SCATS)

Grants

  • Co-principal Investigator, NASA Grant, How Old is Your Universe? Workshop for Middle Grade Science Teachers, $49,894, 2003-2005.
  • Co-author and Co-director of five Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Grants, 1998 - present.
  • Co-author and Co-director with R. Pankratz of the Field Initiated Research Grant with a Focus on Achievement, The Long-Term Impact of Kentucky’s K-3 Continuous Progress Curriculum on Student Achievement in Core Content Areas. United States Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement, $954,000 ($327,000 subcontracted to the Center for Gifted Studies), 1996-1999.
  • Author and Director of the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act Grant, Restructuring Primary Education: Responding to Kentucky’s Educational Reform, United States Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement, $744,874, 1992-1995.
  • Author and Director of the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act Grant, Enhancing Educational Opportunities for Gifted Middle School Students, United States Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement, $722,805, 1990-1993.
  • Contributing Author of the United States Information Agency Grant, Summer Ventures: A Russian-American Educational Partnership, with the Citizen Exchange Council, NY; Rostov State University; and the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Sciences, 1993-1994, 1994-1995, and 1995-1996.

Publications (Recent)

  • Roberts,  J. L. (in press). State residential schools of mathematics and science. Schools of Choice.
  • Roberts, J. L. (in press). Teachers of gifted children. In F. A. Karnes, & Stephens, K.R, (Eds.). Gifted education. Columbus, OH: Pearson Merrill.
  • Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (in press). Differentiating instruction: Practical strategies that work.  Waco, TX:  Prufrock Press.
  • Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (in press). Effective advocates:  Crafting a message. Parenting for High Potential.
  • Roberts, J. L., & Inman, T. F. (2006, March). Effective advocates: Find”kindred spirits.” Parenting for High Potential.
  • Roberts, J. L. (2006).  Planning for advocacy.  In J. H. Purcell, & R. P. Eckert (Eds.), Designing services and programs for high-ability learners: The guidebook for developing educational services and programs for the gifted and talented. Washington, DC: Corwin Press.
  • Roberts, J. L. (2005). Giftedness.  In R. M. Garguilo (Ed.), Special education in contemporary society: An introduction to exceptionality (2nd ed., pp. 340-393). Belmont, CA:  Wadsworth Press.
  • Roberts, J. L., & Roberts, R. A. (2005). Writing units which remove the learning ceiling.  In F. A. Karnes, & S. M. Bean (Eds.), Methods and materials for teaching gifted and talented students (2nd ed., pp. 179-210). Waco, TX:  Prufrock Press.
  • Roberts, J. L. (2005). Enrichment: An array of opportunities.  In F. A. Karnes, & K. R. Stephens (Series Eds.), Practical strategies series in gifted education.  Waco, TX:  Prufrock Press.

Organizations

  • 2005 - People to People Leader of the Gifted Education Delegation to China
  • 2004 - National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • 1986 - present Member, Kentucky Advisory Council for Gifted and Talented Education (Appointed by the Governor)