Biography
Biography
Committee (2021-2024). She has received awards for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2024, 2018), the UCF Women of Excellence for Global Achievement (2016); Teaching Excellence (TIP Teaching Incentive Program 2009; 2017); Internationalization; Minority Mentorship and a Fulbright scholarship. She received the 2015 Board of Educational Affairs Golden Psi Award of Excellence (APA) for developing the Gifted Curriculum at a charter school for gifted. She is widely published and a reviewer for several journals and a consultant editor of Gifted Education International (SAGE).
- Advanced, High-Ability and Gifted Education
- Educational Psychology and Learning Sciences
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Comparative and International Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Psychology
University of Connecticut, U.S.A. (1988)
Major Areas: Curriculum Development; Research and Evaluation;
Special Education: Gifted
Research
- Developing effective learning spaces and places for schoolwide enrichment and acceleration to meet the needs of all unique learners.
- Identifying and meeting the individual needs of high ability students who are unrecognized and twice-exceptional gifted learners
- An examination of resilience and development of excellence in high-ability learners from extreme circumstances
- Longitudinal studies on the impact of Gifted Education programs on later life achievement
- Comparative and international education research on issues of access, multiple perspectives and global concerns.
Principal Investigator (PI) for Project GLIMPSE(USDOE Jacob K. Javits Grant, 2022-2027),”Gifted Learning Infusing Multiple Perspectives via Strengths Education” for Low-Income Title I, ELL and Twice-Exceptional learners. Collaborative Demonstration grant with the School District of Osceola County; (SDOC Director) Dr. David Maddock; UCF PI Gillian Eriksson (CCIE) (#S206A220026 worth $2,600,000)
Principal Investigator (PI) for Project ELEVATE (USDOE Jacob K. Javits Grant, 2015-2021), “English Learner Education eVolving through Advanced Teacher Education” for Low-income Title I, ELL learners. Collaborative Demonstration grant with Seminole County Public Schools PI(s):Jeanette Lukens (SCPS); UCF PI Gillian Eriksson (CCIE) (#S206A150014 worth $2,500,000)
Coordinated Project Step-Up, a USDOE Javits Grant at Lamar University, Texas (1993-1994), focusing on needs of unrecognized nor served high-ability and gifted students across Four States. P.I. Dr. Dorothy Sisk.
Co-PI on the Working on Gifted Issues (WOGI) Grant at UCF for the Florida Department of Education (2002-2003) improving educational resources. Revised the Gifted Training Manuals in 2016, adopted by school districts in 2007.
Eriksson, G.I.; Cavilla, D. (UCF) Merritt, T; Maddock, D. (SDOC) Affective Education for Academic Success. Secondary Gifted. (2016-2017) Project Collaborative Curriculum Challenge Grant ; FLDE Challenge Grant with Osceola Public Schools District
Eriksson, G; Holt L (UCF) Gifted Mindsets Project: Brain-Based Learning. (2014-2015). Project Collaborative Curriculum Challenge Grant ; FLDE Challenge Grant with Brevard County Public Schools
Managed the UCF Semester Teacher Education Abroad Program to the Netherlands, and facilitating study and internship programs in The Netherlands, England, New Zealand and South Africa.
Awards
- UCF Professional Development Leave (Sabbatical) 2008, 2018. 2025.
- UCF Scholarship for Teaching and Learning Award, 2017, 2024
- UCF College of Education and Human Performance Teaching Incentive Program – Excellence in Teaching Recipient, 2009; 2017
- UCF Women of Excellence for Global Achievement (2016), UCF Center for Success of Women Faculty & Life at UCF
- American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs Golden Psi Award of Excellence (APA, 2015) for Curriculum Design for Gifted Students (co-award with Dr. M Gill and Dr. D. Hahs-Vaughn)
- Award for Internationalization UCF for Haitian Projects. Office of Internationalization, University of Central Florida (2010)
- Certificate awarded for Dedication as a Minority Programs in Education Mentor. College of Education, University of Central Florida (2008)