Research Scientist, Diane Hsieh, Ph.D., is passionate about positive youth development. Originally from Taiwan, she brings a unique international perspective to her work at Search Institute, driving her commitment to research that truly respects and celebrates the inherent value of each and every young person. In this Spotlight, she discusses topics including math and its role in youth identity and thriving, and the importance of adult-to-adult relationships as a vehicle for adult SEL.
What motivates you in your work at Search Institute?
I am motivated by the applied nature of research at Search Institute. I believe that being able to conduct research is a privilege, and it is even more meaningful to know that the research I do has a direct and timely impact on young people and their communities.
How does your experience as a young person growing up in Taiwan influence your work?
I appreciate this question! From a global perspective, Taiwan is often marginalized (e.g., having our name erased and independence questioned), yet we remain resilient and continue to thrive (e.g., first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage). In this sense, I think being a Taiwanese makes me naturally attuned to issues of inequity, oppression, marginalization, etc. from a strength-based perspective. For example, as a Taiwanese I know too well what it feels like to have one’s voice suppressed, so in my research I strive to uplift the voices of those who are often marginalized.
There are many misconceptions about math—math is for boys or math isn’t creative. Several of the projects you’ve worked on at Search Institute have had a focus on math. What is it about math that you find interesting, particularly regarding its connection to youth thriving?
During my childhood, when I was an English language learner, math offered me a refuge—I was able to gain a sense of efficacy through numbers and abstract ideas when words were a barrier for me. Back then, math was a source of wonder, curiosity, and inclusion. Coming to the US, though, I see people talk about math as a source of anxiety, politics, and exclusion. I’ve also experienced math stereotypes first hand because of how I look. All these fascinate me. I’m interested in how people, especially young people, negotiate their identities with a subject that is associated with so many emotions and inequities. I believe, to some extent, that if we can better understand how young people—especially young people who are disproportionately denied high quality math opportunities—come to embrace a healthy math identity and thrive in such a contested subject, we also learn a thing or two about youth thriving in general.
I invite all those who would like to know more about the subject to check out the DR+Math Toolkit, an outcome of one of our projects. It is designed to support math educators and empower students by introducing the Developmental Relationships Framework in the context of math education, and offers practical, research-driven strategies that help build intentional and inclusive relationships during math learning.
We know the quality of youth-adult relationships matter to youth success, but what about adult-to-adult relationships?
Adult-to-adult relationships set the stage in many ways for youth-adult relationships. How can we ask young people to show care and trust if we are disrespectful toward each other? How can we create a welcoming and inclusive relational climate for young people if they don’t see us lifting each other up? We explored these questions in a recent article, Collegial relationships as a vehicle for adult SEL: Educator relationships and the development of adult social and emotional competencies.
So far, I’ve done research on adult-to-adult relationships in both in-school and out-of-school time program settings. In a time when educators and youth development professionals are often under-recognized and burned out, their relationship with one another are a critical lever for retention, work satisfaction, and overall well being.
What is your favorite warm weather activity?
Hiking! This will also be my answer if you ask about cold weather activity.
Since joining Search Institute in 2021, Diane has been involved in a number of research projects, including Educator-to-Educator Relationships, Rooted in Relationships: Cultivating Character Through Communities of Practice and the DR+Math Toolkit. She has provided support and coordination of Search Institute's annual Summer Scholars Research Fellowship and has co-authored several research articles.