About

Brian Harrold is a graduate researcher in Statistics at the University of South Carolina whose interests span Item Response Theory (latent-space IRT; LCDM/diagnostic modeling) and reproducible reporting for education data. He develops open-source tools, including the cohortED R package, and serves as Instructor of Record for STAT 201. Brian’s internships emphasize applied impact: at the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission, he developed a county-level classification system (distressed, transitional, attainment) used to help prioritize funding; at Curriculum Associates, he conducted a structured literature review on machine learning in educational measurement and IRT; and at the Center for Assessment, he engineered the cohortED package for cohort and mobility analyses. His teaching and service have been recognized with Two Thumbs Up and Thank a Teacher awards, an invited talk at the Two Thumbs Up Recognition Ceremony, a GTA/IAs Teaching Resource Development Grant, and departmental honors: Outstanding Graduate Assistant (2024–25), Outstanding Graduate Student in Academics (2023–24), and Outstanding First-Year Graduate Student (2022–23).