Peng Peng

Headshot of  Peng  Peng
Associate Professor, Department of Special Education

Phone: +1 512 232 9258
Email: pengpeng@austin.utexas.edu
Office: SZB 5.804K
View Curriculum Vitae (url)
 

Dr. Peng Peng's research focuses on the intersection of cognitive psychology and special education. His work investigates the bidirectional relations between fundamental cognitive skills (such as working memory and executive function) and academic performance, particularly among those at risk for learning difficulties. Dr. Peng uses a domain-specific approach to analyze how content-specific cognitive abilities (e.g., reading working memory vs. math working memory) are differentially applied to reading and math. His current projects integrate cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills into instruction for at-risk learners. For example, he is exploring how to optimally combine math growth mindset, math working memory, and word-problem-solving skills to create effective interventions for students with math difficulties and anxiety. Another significant aspect of Dr. Peng's expertise involves using advanced meta-analytic methods (e.g., multi-level meta-analysis, network meta-analysis, meta-analytic structural equation modeling) to synthesize research findings on reading and math learning. He utilizes meta-analysis to identify the underlying mechanisms linking general cognition and learning across development and to determine the optimal intervention combinations in complex multi-component programs for at-risk learners.

Dr. Peng's commitment to rigorous high-impact research is demonstrated by his funding from national organizations like the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), and his extensive publication record in leading journals such as the Journal of Educational Psychology, Review of Educational Research, Psychological Bulletin, Educational Psychology Review, Child Development, Developmental Science, and Developmental Psychology. Dr. Peng is also a recognized scholar in his field, having received the 2018 Early Career Award from the International Dyslexia Association. He is dedicated to shaping academic discourse and knowledge dissemination, currently serving as an Associate Editor for Psychological Bulletin, Reading and Writing, and Learning and Individual Differences. He is also an active member of the editorial boards for 10 journals, including Educational Psychologist, Review of Educational Research, Journal of Educational Psychology, Scientific Studies of Reading, Journal of Learning Disabilities, and Exceptional Children.