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LARS G. BJORK, Ph.D., University of New Mexico

Dr. Lars G. Bjork (vita in Word) joined the faculty in January, 1996, coming to the University from Georgia Southern University where he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Technology and Research, and Director of the Leadership Training Consortium.

Dr. Björk, is the Director of the Institute for Education Research (IER) and Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership Studies at the University of Kentucky. In addition, he serves as the Co-Director of the University Council for Educational Administration’s Center for the Study of the Superintendency. Dr. Björk has served as a Senior Associate Editor of Educational Administration Quarterly and presently a member of the Editorial Boards of the South African Journal of Education, Journal of Thought, and the Journal of School Public Relations. ). In addition, he has served as guest editor for special issues including: Education and Urban Society (1993), “Minorities in Higher Education”; Educational Administration Quarterly (2000) “Women in the Superintendency”; and, The Journal of School Leadership (2003), “The Superintendent Shortage: Myth and Reality”. He has co-edited several books including Higher Education Research and Public Policy (1988), Minorities in Higher Education (1994), and The New Superintendency: Advances in Research and Theories of School Management and Educational Policy (2001, with C. C. Brunner), and School District Superintendents: Role Expectations, Professional Preparation, Development and Licensing (in press-with Theodore Kowalski). In addition, he has co-authored, The Study of the American Superintendency 2000: A look at the Superintendent of Education in the New Millennium (2000, with T. Glass and C.C. Brunner), The Superintendent as CEO: Standards-based Performance (in press-with J. Hoyle, T. Glass &L. Collier) and The School Superintendent: Theory, Practice, and Cases (In press-with Theodore Kowalski). Dr. Björk holds Ph.D. and Ed. S. Degrees in Educational Administration, a Masters Degrees in Public Administration and Secondary Education, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of New Mexico. He served on the faculties of the University of New Mexico, University of South Carolina and Georgia Southern University. In addition, he served as the Executive Assistant to the Director of the National Institute of Education (NIE), Regional Director for University Research Corporation, and as a senior staff member of Westinghouse Learning Corporation. He has served as a consultant to Universities in the United States and Europe, school districts, state governments, National Associations, foundations and international education agencies. He has been a member of advisory, coordinating committees, and task forces in the United States Department of Education and presented keynote addresses at international conferences on educational leadership.

Dr. Bjork holds an Ed.S. in Educational Administration, an M.Ed. in Public Administration, an M.Ed. in Secondary Education, and a B. A. in Education from the University of New Mexico. His areas of academic interest and expertise include organizational change, school reform, organizational theory, school-university collaboration, and qualitative research methodology.

Courses taught include:
EDL 625, School Safety and Discipline Leadership
EDL 646, Leadership for Schools - Community Relations
EDL 701, Leadership in Educational Organizations I
EDL 702, Leadership in Educational Organizations II
EDA 770, Leading Organizational Change