Dr. Ella Anghel

My life before BGU:
I was born and raised in Ashdod, where I also finished high school. I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology and communication at the University of Haifa, and a master’s in clinical and educational psychology at the Hebrew University. I received my PhD in measurement, evaluation, statistics and assessment (MESA) from Boston College. After that, I continued to postdoctoral positions at Boston College, Rutgers University, and the University of California, Irvine.

Why BGU?
As someone who grew up in Israel’s southern district, I have a soft spot for the Negev and for Ben-Gurion University. The School of Education here is well-known for the quality of its research, its warm and supportive atmosphere, and its integration of research with applied practice in schools, as teachers, counselors, and psychologists. From the very start of the process, I felt that the faculty were making a real effort to help me and make joining the university easy and smooth. I’m delighted to continue working alongside them.

My research:
I’m interested in how we measure complex variables, and how the way we measure affects the results. For example, if we ask students about their math skills, we’ll get different results than those obtained by directly testing them. I’m especially interested in how technology shapes assessment, and in the combination of technological and traditional tools to better understand educational phenomena.
Right now, for instance, I’m studying the needs of first-year students combining questionnaires and text messages they exchange on an app designed to connect students with mentors.

An insight from my research:

Research results depend on how we define and measure variables, and those decisions are not always obvious. Thus, for example, different people may measure “success” in terms of money, career, family, and so on - and this perspective directly shapes how they behave and how they relate to others.

Something that doesn’t appear on my CV:
I love cooking, reality shows, and their combination.

A source of inspiration:
There are so many! But, especially my family, which gives me unconditional support, as well as colleagues and mentors who have shown me how to succeed in my academic career.

When I grow up…
I never really knew what I wanted to do when I grew up, because there are so many interesting things to do in the world. I wanted to be an engineer, a basketball player, a psychologist, a journalist, and plenty of other things. Today, I’m sure that research is my calling. I hope to conduct meaningful research that advances education in practice, and also to be a good mother and life partner.

If I weren’t a researcher…
I would probably be a school psychologist, or involved in writing in some way.

In brief:

• Text message or phone call? Usually a text message, because you can read them whenever you want. When it comes to bureaucracy, though, I prefer talking to someone directly.