Associate Professor, School of Education and Special Education Adapted Curriculum Program
Advisor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
North Carolina Central University
Panelist
Nigel P. Pierce, Ph.D.
His specialty areas include autism and developmental disabilities. Pierce’s commitment to student success extends beyond the classroom. He is an advocate for supporting families in the local community to ensure that students with developmental disabilities are equipped with the tools needed for academic success. He is also passionate about increasing the number of men in special education capable of applying a socio-cultural lens in their work.
Prior to joining NCCU, he served as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. He has also provided general and special education instruction for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland.
Pierce has written several articles, book chapters, and publications on the topics of special education intervention and teaching. In his research and writing, Pierce focuses on autism spectrum disorder (ASD), race and ethnicity reporting practices for empirical research, strengthening of service access for children of color with ASD, use of assistive and adaptive technology, experiences of Black teacher educators, and post-secondary students diagnosed with ASD.
Pierce earned a bachelor’s in early childhood/special education from Bowie State University and a master’s in school administration from Johns Hopkins University. He also holds a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin.