Biography
Beverly Davenport Sypher is Associate Provost for Special Initiatives and Interim Director of the Discovery Learning Center at Purdue University where she has the responsibility for strategic planning and resource allocation for the new Discovery Learning Center that advances research intended to revolutionize learning. The Center manages $25 million in external funding that supports the design of innovative learning spaces, the development and assessment of learning technologies, and the enhanced understanding of learning sciences. Her most recent efforts have focused on digital media and learning including a Games-to-Teach competition, a Serious Games Forum with industry and university contributors, and a public lecture by Marc Prensky, inventor, futurist, educational game designer, and author of Digital Gaming Based Learning. The Discovery Learning Center also administers the National Center for Learning and Teaching Nanotechnology, the Center for Authentic Science Practices in Education, and the Susan Buckeley Butler Center for Leadership that focuses on bringing women and girls to the forefront in the STEM disciplines. Beverly has a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in organizational communication. Of late her work in this area has focused on civil discourse in the workplace and the harmful effects of incivility, change management, trust, and leadership and technology focused work on digital media and learning, serious games, and e-health.
