As part of their program of study, doctoral students may choose to participate in the activities of the Literacy Research and Innovation Center (LRIC), a research and teaching laboratory dedicated to advancing knowledge about how children learn and are instructed in literacy. A multi-disciplinary team of faculty and researchers comprise the LRIC. The collaborative team includes individuals with specialized literacy knowledge from various fields such as literacy and second language studies, educational leadership, educational studies, special education, speech-language pathology, and design. The Center focuses on conducting and translating research into best practices for the classroom, developing innovative literacy practices, and delivering professional development programs. The mission of the LRIC is to conduct scientific research on literacy learning and instruction to further understand important educational questions; to innovate novel solutions to education’s most pressing problems related to literacy learning and instruction; and to disseminate knowledge about literacy learning and instruction through professional development programs for teachers and parents. The Center’s faculty believes in the interdependence of research and practice to inform best approaches to literacy learning and instruction. Faculty who are affiliated with the LRIC include: Allison Breit-Smith, Ying Guo, Holly Johnson, and Susan Watts-Taffe.