Research Discipline/Bio
Sumit Karn is an instructor in the International and Transcultural Studies department at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he is also pursuing a Ph.D. in Comparative & International Education. His research interests center around the diffusion of ideas and institutions and the impact of public opinion on educational policies, reforms, and systems, particularly within the context of South Asia. Sumit pursues this work through the disciplinary lens of sociology and political science, utilizing multiple and mixed-method approaches.
Before joining Teachers College, Sumit worked/supported various impactful projects with organizations, such as Bloomberg Philanthropies (Global Scholar program), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Ananya 3SI project with CDOT in Bihar, India), and Steps (DDA project of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services). Prior to that, he worked as a journalist for the Everett Herald newspaper in Washington, USA.
Educational Background
Master of Arts, International Educational Development, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2023
Graduate Certificate, Global Education Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Pennsylvania, 2020
Bachelor of Arts, Strategic Communication, Washington State University, 2019
Associate of Arts, Journalism, Everett Community College, 2015
Honors/Awards
Doctoral Scholarship ($ 78K+), Teachers College, Columbia University (2023 - 2026); George W. Perkins Memorial Award, for exemplary commitment to the International and Comparative Education program, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2024; Fully-funded Master's ($ 140K+) scholarship, Teachers College, Columbia University (2021 – 2023); Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund ($ 25K), U.S. Department of State, 2013; Community College Initiative Program ($ 32K), Everett Community College, 2012
Publications/Exhibitions
Karn, S., Churiwal, V., Henderson, C. J., Chin, M., & Sanjeev, S. (2023). More girls are accessing school, but are they learning? An exploratory study of the factors influencing girls’ mathematics achievement in Pakistan. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 25(1).
Oyewole, K. A., Karn, S., Classen, J., & Yurkofsky, M. M. (2022). Equitable Research-Practice Partnerships: A Multilevel Reimagining. The Assembly, 5(1), 40–59.
Last Updated: Sep 30, 2024