Dayna Valek
Dayna is a doctoral student in sociology at Johns Hopkins University. She is interested in using both quantitative and qualitative methods to study the ways in which public high school curriculum and programming in the US communicates public values regarding the workforce and influences postsecondary decision making in the short and long term.
Academic background
Dayna graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in public and international affairs and a certificate in ethnography from Princeton University in 2020. Her senior thesis dissected the concept of “college and career readiness” and examined the degree to which public high school mathematics curriculum equips students with the skills necessary to pursue a variety of postsecondary pathways. Prior to her start at Hopkins, Dayna spent three years working at Mathematica as a data analyst in the healthcare research division on a variety of projects assessing quality of care. In her free time, Dayna enjoys thrifting and upcycling, crocheting, and hosting game nights.
Research Interests: education, labor, public values, mixed methods
Research Projects: HAIL, College and Career Decisions Study