Research Design & Data Analysis Lab Consultants

Jennifer Watters, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor | School of Education 

Qualitative Consultant 
Phone: 903.566.6634
Email: jwatters@uttyler.edu 
Office: BEP 240

My research interests center on explorations of school leadership learning and the subsequent influence on leadership attrition and school improvement. My personal work has included a variety of qualitative design and methodology, including ethnography, autoethnography, narrative, single case study, and collective case studies through varied types of interviews, focus groups, document analysis, sentiment analysis, surveys, and observations. I am also deeply interested in creative qualitative design, data collection, and analyses such as artistic, narrative non-fiction, and aesthetic expression to investigate, create knowledge, and share findings.

Regarding qualitative research, I can offer consultation around questions concerning:

• Study design
• Methodological approaches
• Analytic approaches
• Theoretical framing 

Schedule a meeting with me online.

Brandon Bretl, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor | College of Education & Psychology 

Quantitative Consultant 
Phone: 903.566.7390
Email: BBRETL@uttyler.edu 
Office: BEP 246

I am a quantitative researcher working at the intersections of education, cognitive science, and social psychology. I specialize in solving complex research design problems. My most recent work has been for AI companies testing the limits of large language model artificial intelligence (LLM AI). My approach is contextualized and pragmatic.  

Regarding quantitative research, I can offer consultation around questions concerning:

• Research design, methodology, and analysis plans
• Latent factor analyses, psychometrics
• Advanced knowledge assessments (e.g., standardized science tests)
• Program evaluation and survey design
• R and SPSS
• Strategic planning around social/cultural obstacles to research

Schedule a meeting with me online.

Sagnik Dakshit, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor | Soules College of Business 

AI/ML/Data Science Consultant 
Email: sdakshit@uttyler.edu  
Office: COB 315.06

My research is in the field of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence with specialization in explainable AI, and expert allied machine learning. My work is centered on addressing challenges related to transparency, fairness, and accountability in machine learning systems, with a focus on applying them to various domains and tasks such as healthcare and education. I have worked on various ML projects with corporate giants such as Seagate, Bosch, HP Labs, Nokia Bell Labs.

Regarding machine learning research, I can offer consultation around questions concerning:

• Research design and methodology, especially in AI/ML/Data Science
• Methodological. Analytic and theoretical approaches of AI/ML/Data Science
• Explainable AI
• Deep Learning
• Large Language Models

Schedule a meeting with me online.