Rebecca D. Eckert, Ph.D., is an associate clinical professor in Teacher Education at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut, where she works with preservice teachers as they navigate the joys and challenges of their first classroom experiences. In her former role as the Gifted Resource Specialist for the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), Rebecca helped to redesign the NAGC website and develop practical resources for educators and advocates of gifted students. Her previous work at The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented included participation in Javits research at both the elementary and secondary levels. Her research interests include talented readers, recruitment and preparation of new teachers, arts in the schools, and public policy and gifted education. She is a former middle school teacher with experience in geography, history, and theatre arts.
