Assistant Professor of Special Education
Utah State University
Katherine A. Graves is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Utah State University with research centered on promoting the safety, well-being, and rights of children and adolescents with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD). She is committed to conducting research that addresses the following: (a) the complex and multifaceted issues surrounding the education of students who engage in challenging behaviors and (b) the development and support of the implementation of evidence-based interventions that promote the dignity and autonomy of youth with disabilities.
Dr. Graves’ research interests include evaluating processes and practices to support students with EBD and other challenging behaviors, interventions within the juvenile justice system, and school safety with an emphasis on restraint and seclusion. Her experiences as a special education teacher, where she taught in alternative schools and supported students who have a history of engaging in aggressive and/or violent behaviors, influenced her research interests.
She aspires to improve the education and treatment of all students, especially those who have complex or significant undesired behaviors coupled with negative school experiences (i.e., trauma, exclusionary discipline, police violence).