Ruthann Thomas, Ph.D.

Ruthann Thomas, Ph.D.

Associate Director for Teaching and Learning

Ruthann Thomas joined the Teaching + Learning Lab in 2021.

Ruthann’s work in the TLL is informed by her experiences as an educational developer, a seasoned classroom teacher and faculty member, and a scientist with expertise in memory and metacognition. Prior to arriving at TLL, she was a tenured faculty member in the Psychology Department at Hendrix College, where she taught a variety of Cognitive Psychology courses as well as team taught interdisciplinary courses. In her current role at the Teaching + Learning Lab, Ruthann develops and collaborates on initiatives to promote equitable and inclusive teaching practices and learning environments. She teaches graduate students and postdocs how to apply evidence-informed teaching practices and engages in projects on academic resilience and student learning strategies.

Ruthann graduated from Furman University with a B.A. in Psychology and earned her Ph.D. in Cognition, Perception, and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Toronto in Dr. Lynn Hasher’s lab. She then held a postdoctoral position at Washington University in St. Louis with Drs. Larry Jacoby and Mark McDaniel where she conducted research applying cognitive psychology to enhance educational practice, such as metacognition and retrieval practice. Prior to arriving at TLL, she worked as the Associate Director of Teaching and Learning at the Center for Faculty Excellence at Simmons University. Her work is anchored in a deep commitment to sharing teaching strategies based in the science of learning and fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments.