David Purpura

Speed Coach

Professor and Director of Center for Early Learning

Dr. Purpura is a Professor of Human Development and Family Science in the College of Health and Human Sciences and is the Director of the Center for Early Learning which is a research, practice, and policy center. His research focuses on how young children (preschool through elementary school) learn to read and understand math and the cognitive and contextual factors that affect successful learning. Much of this recent work has focused on developing and evaluating intervention programs that naturally fit into home and school settings. Dr. Purpura has been funded by foundations, state agencies, and federal agencies including the National Science Foundation and Institute of Education Sciences. He also recently served as the chair of the international Mathematics Cognition and Learning Society.