Dr. Justin Ballenger

Dr. H. Justin Ballenger is an Assistant Professor of STEM Education in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies at Morehouse College. He also serves as the Deputy Director of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Data Science Initiative.  He has extensive experience with the implementation of programming that supports the academic development of youth from under-served populations.  Dr. Ballenger is a National Science Foundation Quantitative Computational and Mixed-Methods Fellow.  He also serves as faculty within the Morehouse Center for Educational Excellence (MCEE). 

Dr. Ballenger’s research agenda is focused on the academic achievement of under-served populations and pathways for students from under-served backgrounds to pursue STEM careers both in the United States and abroad.  As a component of this research he also investigates teaching practices and teacher preparation programs for STEM educators. 

Dr. Ballenger is a published author and regularly presents at national and international conferences on issues related to data-driven inquiry in the areas of STEM Education, Access and Equity, Teacher Preparation, and Community Engagement. Dr. Ballenger is engaged with a number of STEM outreach and teacher preparation programs locally, nationally, and abroad.  He serves as the Executive Board Chair for STEM Education with the Hines Family Foundation, an organization that partners with NASA and higher education institutions to promote STEM engagement and career development among underserved populations. He is also part of the graduate advisory council for the Call Me MISTER Program, a multi-state initiative that supports the development of male educators of color. 

Aside from his academic and outreach work, Dr. Ballenger is an international sought after presenter and consultant. He is the Principal Consultant for HB Consulting Group, LLC and a Senior Consultant with Right Research, LLC. Dr. Ballenger’s work as a consultant is focused on staff an organizational development for schools, companies, non-profits, and other organizations.