Dr. Katarina Pantic Accepts Position as Assistant Professor at Weber State

Dr. Katarina Pantic, a recent graduate from the ITLS department, recently accepted a position as an assistant professor Weber State University. She will be working in the department of Teacher Education starting July 1st, 2020. Pantic will specialize in Instructional Technology, preparing pre-service teachers for technology integration in their classrooms. This position is a tenure-track position that includes teaching, service, and research. 

“I consider myself extremely fortunate to be given an opportunity to continue doing what I love doing the most, which is teach and do research,” said Pantic. “The Teacher Education department at Weber State is full of supportive and hard-working scholars, and I am really excited to join their team.”

Pantic defended her dissertation on March 23 under the mentorship of Dr. Jody Clarke-Midura. Her dissertation, “Retention of Women in Computer Science Majors: Why Women Persist?” investigates different factors that influence retention of women in computer science majors. Her dissertation will be available online at the end of this semester through the USU library.

“Katarina is passionate about broadening participation in computer science,” said Clarke-Midura. “She was essential to my App Camp project, in which we trained high school youth how to code and then mentor their younger peers. She built a great rapport with the youth and helped make the project a success. I’m excited for her and this new chapter of her life. I hope to continue working with her around these important issues.”

Pantic expressed her gratitude for her mentor, saying that Clarke-Midura gave her freedom in her research that boosted her self-confidence. “I have never felt like a student working next to her, as she has always treated me as a colleague, always trusting my insights, while at the same time helping me overcome my shortcomings,” said Pantic. “I have grown so much next to her and am so excited for all the projects that we can and will collaborate on in the future.” Pantic also gave thanks to her committee members, Dr. Mimi Recker, Dr. Deborah Fields, Dr. Sherry Marx (from TEAL), and Dr. Vicki Allan (from CS), for their support and guidance.

Apart from her mentors, Pantic attributes her success to the support of her peers, ITLS staff, and especially Dr. Walker, the department head. "Dr. Walker has always been really good at recognizing my strengths and doing everything he could to support my growth in a way that was the most meaningful for me.” Pantic said that she knows her advisors and department have given her the crucial support she needed to succeed as a scholar and have a competitive vitae. “I consider myself so fortunate to earn a degree from ITLS,” she said. “What a fantastic journey it has been and what an amazing group of people have I been fortunate to work with for the past seven years!”