Jingyang "Max" Zhang, left, currently a PhD candidate in the college, worked as a graduate research associate during his program with Barbara Boone, director of the center's family engagement programs. Zhang presented his research at the college's annual Research Forum. His experience helped him become a researcher at the Child and Family Research Lab, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
At the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE), graduate students do more than support research projects; they become active contributors to supporting their communities.
As a translational research center within the college, CETE is committed to helping students bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice. Through graduate research associate (GRA) and postdoctoral opportunities, students gain hands-on experience applying research to educational, workforce and community needs while developing the skills, networks and confidence needed for successful careers.
Between 2018 and 2026, CETE funded between four and 11 graduate research associate positions annually, in addition to supporting six postdoctoral scholars. These opportunities reflect CETE's sustained commitment to the college's mission of student success and experiential learning.
New career pathways
A cornerstone of CETE's graduate student experience is exposure to translational research as a career pathway.
Students work with faculty, staff, community partners, schools, state agencies and families to understand how research moves beyond publication and into implementation, policy support and practical application. This broader view helps students explore professional opportunities in addition to traditional academic roles.
Students can participate in many, if not all, aspects of CETE's approach to translational research. They contribute to research studies, program evaluations, instructional design projects, professional learning initiatives, product development and community engagement efforts, often seeing firsthand how their work contributes to measurable impact.
Through these experiences, graduate students gain real-world experience:
- Participating in the full translational research process
- Designing and conducting research studies
- Collecting, analyzing and delivering data visualization products designed to inform programming and policy decisions
- Developing educational products and services
- Collaborating with community, organizational and family partners
- Translating research findings into practical tools and resources
- Supporting systems-level improvement efforts
- Contributing to practitioner and scholarly publications
Mentor mentee relationships that matter
CETE pours time, energy, knowledge and expertise into the young scholars and future leaders involved in the center. Taking time to build these relationships and mentor graduate students is a core part of the center's mission.
Melissa Ross, PsyD, associate director of Research Partnerships and Impacts and program director for CETE’s Excellence in Engagement and Evaluation program, works with graduate students to ensure their experiences align with their professional goals.
She convenes students as a cohort, helps connect them to opportunities across the center and collaborates with CETE faculty associates and program directors to create experiences that prepare students for careers in academic, industry and community settings.
This personalized approach reflects CETE’s broader philosophy that graduate students are emerging scholars and leaders whose experiences can be tailored to provide the specialized knowledge and skills required to meaningful address community challenges in their future professional endeavors.
“Our commitment to student success extends far beyond the walls of our research center," Ross said. "When graduate students work with us, they aren't just reviewing literature; they are collaborating with families, schools and other organizations to address pressing community challenges. They see the direct, measurable impact of applied scholarship in real time.”
“Ultimately, our goal is to provide workforce-aligned, high-impact learning experiences that prepare these future leaders to advance the ecosystems and, most importantly, the communities that CETE serves.”
Authentic experiences
Graduate students at CETE contribute to projects that directly impact communities across Ohio and beyond.
In one example, three of the college’s graduate students participated in a county juvenile court quality assurance project. Working alongside court personnel and CETE researchers, they helped design and implement the project, contributed to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) application to approve their data collection methods, developed surveys and data-collection instruments and co-authored a forthcoming publication in the Journal of Applied Juvenile Justice Services.
Students working on CETE's federally funded Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center projects have also gained opportunities to present their research nationally. Five of the college’s graduate students were supported by CETE to present research findings at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting, while others have shared their work through the college’s EHE Research Forum.
In another example, a CETE graduate research associate helped conduct a statewide survey examining Ohio parents' perceptions of mathematics education and learning at home as part of a project with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. The same student later supported a statewide survey of educators in Nevada, applying advanced data analysis skills to both initiatives.
Graduate students have also co-authored research briefs, contributed to professional development programs for educators and helped create tools and resources designed to support families, demonstrating how research can be translated into practical solutions for everyday challenges.
Student perspective
For many students, the experience becomes a stepping stone for long-term success.
Jiarui Xie, ’26 PhD in learning technologies, first joined CETE as a graduate research associate and recently accepted a postdoctoral scholar position within CETE's Artificial Intelligence in Education and Training program.
"My experience as a graduate research associate at CETE has been instrumental in shaping my professional and academic development," Xie said. "Through instructional design and research projects, I strengthened my instructional design skills and gained experience in grant writing, research design, data collection, analysis, and visualization and report writing."
She also emphasized the value of working with a variety of sponsors and partners.
"Working with local communities, school administrators, teachers and families, as well as collaborating with colleagues across projects, improved my communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills," she said.
Xie credits CETE's commitment to professional development — including opportunities to attend and present at conferences — with helping her grow as a researcher and expand her professional network.
"Seeing research translated into practical solutions that benefit education, training and workforce development is what makes CETE such a meaningful place to work," she said.
Zack Batsaikhan, MSc and current PhD candidate in the Learning Technologies program, also worked across multiple CETE program areas as a graduate student before joining the center full-time as a senior learning designer. “CETE has been an incredibly supportive environment throughout my academic and professional journey," Batsaikhan said.
"The team genuinely wants students to succeed and provides the flexibility needed during critical milestones, such as doctoral candidacy exams."
He noted that the opportunity to work on meaningful projects was a major factor in his decision to stay. "In academia, it's not uncommon to conduct research without ever seeing it translated into practice," he said. "At CETE, we get the opportunity to design, develop and launch the final products, allowing us to see the direct results of our work."
Sangeun Lee, ’26 PhD, worked as a graduate research associate at CETE throughout her four years in the doctoral program in Counselor Education and joins CETE as a postdoctoral scholar this summer.
“There are many reasons I chose to pursue the next step in my career at CETE,” Lee said. “First, my work at CETE has expanded my perspective on how research can create meaningful impact in communities. As a scholar, I am passionate about enhancing the well-being of K–12 students, families and their communities.”
“Through CETE projects funded by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, I have had opportunities to develop practical resources for educators, families and students.”
“I have particularly enjoyed translating research and scientific evidence into accessible, actionable resources that can make a direct difference in people's lives.”
“Second, I have deeply valued the culture of CETE, especially within the Excellence in Engagement and Evaluation team. Even as a part-time employee during my doctoral studies, I felt respected, supported and genuinely included as a member of the team."
"CETE fostered an environment where I could share my ideas, contribute feedback and actively shape my professional experiences.”
“I am excited to continue my career at CETE, contributing to its mission while further developing my skills in community engagement and creating positive impacts for the communities we serve.”
Building a strong talent pipeline
The impact of CETE's student development model extends beyond graduation. Today, two current graduate research associates have recently transitioned into CETE postdoctoral positions.
Five current CETE staff members began their careers as CETE graduate research associates and/or postdoctoral scholars.
The center has also seen scholarly outcomes resulting from these graduate student positions. A former CETE postdoctoral scholar now serves as a research administration management analyst, having produced five peer-reviewed journal articles, including three as first author, and delivered five conference presentations during her GRA and postdoctoral appointments.
Another former GRA developed a measurement instrument that is now used nationally and internationally and has published multiple scholarly articles on its application. CETE staff continue to collaborate and publish with former students who have gone on to faculty positions and doctoral completion.
These examples demonstrate how CETE's investment in students strengthens not only individual career pathways, but also the educational and workforce development ecosystem.
As the college continues to prioritize high-impact learning experiences for students, CETE remains committed to providing opportunities that connect scholarship with practice.
As of July 2026, CETE does not have any new graduate research associate positions open; however, interested students can contact Amanda Crall at crall.25@osu.edu for future openings.
By offering students the chance to contribute to funded translational research projects, the center helps future researchers, educators, designers and leaders gain the skills needed to shape the future of their fields and drive lasting, meaningful advancement for the communities they serve.
