School of Education

Education

• Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University
• M.S. in in Counseling Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University
• B.S. in Psychology, University of Massachusetts at Boston
• B.S. in African American Studies, University of Massachusetts at Boston

Research interests

• Building STEM identity and resilience among underserved youth.
• Psychosocial implications of STEM inequity
• Construction and evaluation of STEM ecosystems

Career highlights

• Principal Investigator, BCSER, two-year $346,000. 2021-2023. NSF grant: #2126016
• Principal Investigator, MCA, three-year $295,000. 2022-2025. NSF grant #2219175
• Principal Investigator, HBCU-UP, three-year $349,000. 2010-2013. NSF grant #1238757
• Co-Principal Investigator, Targeted Infusion Grant. three-year $400,000. (2014-2016)
• Principal Investigator, Center for Medicare and Medicaid, two-year $250,000. (2011-2013). Virginia Department of Education Grant.
• Principal Investigator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, three-year $420,000. (2005-2007)
• Co-PI, Virginia Tech University’s Institute for Critical Technology and Applies Science – Title: Improving STEM Diversity and Inclusion through Robotics Instruction. Two years, $20,000
• American Association of Blacks in Higher Education Leadership and Mentoring Institute Fellow (2022)
• VSU/Massey Cancer Center Partnership for Cancer Disparities Faculty Fellow (2021-2024)
• Center for the Advancement of STEM Leadership Fellow (2021-2022)
• Harvard University Management Development Program (2018)

Selected publications/presentations

• Tope-Banjoko, T., Davis, V., Morrison, K., Fife, J., Hill, O. & Talley, C. (2020). Academic Resilience in College Students: Relationship between Coping and GPA. Anatolian Journal of Education, 5(2), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.29333/aje.2020.529a
• Scherer, S., Talley, C. P., & Fife, J. E. (2017). How personal factors influence academic behavior and GPA in African American STEM students. SAGE Open, 7(2), doi 10.1177/2158244017704686.
• Talley, C. P., Fife, J., Harris, T., Hill, O. (2015) Increasing Achievement by Strengthening Resilience: An Ecologically-based Intervention for African American Students, In The Race Controversy in American Education, edited by Lillian Dowdell Drakeford. Santa Barbara: Praeger, pp. 163-190.
• Fife, J. (2014) Beyond our Borders:  Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology. Chapter in APA e-book: Diverse Perspectives in College Teaching.
• Corneille, M., Fife, J.E., Belgrave, F., & Sims, B. (2012). Ethnic Identity and Masculinity in Healthy Sexual Relationships among African American Men. Journal of Men and Masculinity.
• Fife, J.E., Bond, S., & Byars-Winston, A. (2011) Correlates and Predictors of Academic Self Efficacy among African American Students. Education. Vol. 132, 1, pp. 141 – 148
• Fife, J.E., Sayles, H., Adegoke, A.A., McCoy, J., Stovall, M., Verdant, C. (2011). Religious Typologies and Health Risks Behaviors of African American College Students. North American Journal of Psychology. Vol. 13, 2, 313-331

Bio

Dr. Fife is an Associate Research Professor of STEM Education in the department of Foundations of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Fife graduated from the Virginia Commonwealth University and completed a postdoctoral appointment in the department of Psychiatry at the Medical College of Virginia.

Dr. Fife’s current research focuses on building resilience and STEM identity in underserved youth by constructing and implementing culturally relevant interventions. Dr. Fife has been funded by the NSF and SAMSHA. He currently serves as the Principal Investigator on two NSF grants. The Building Capacity in STEM Education Research award (BSCER), utilizes an innovative psychological theory (PVEST) to explore STEM interest, attitudes and resilience among underserved middle school students. The MCA award is designed to create and evaluate a comprehensive and robust STEM learning ecosystem in the Richmond and TRI-City area. Dr. Fife has also been funded by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).  

Dr. Fife has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in clinical and counseling psychology.

John Fife, Curriculum Vitae