Richard Houang is the Director of Research for Promoting Rigorous Outcomes in Mathematics and Science Education (PROM/SE). In this capacity he oversees all areas of research design and data collection from nearly 60 districts, teachers, and over 300,000 K-12 students. His research interests include educational statistics, psychometrics, and computing technology. Richard joined the faculty at Michigan State University in 1979 and has taught courses in research design and multivariate analysis. Previously, he was the associate director of the US TIMSS National Research Center and has co-authored several books related to TIMSS. He has published in numerous journals including the American Educational Research Journal and Educational Studies in Mathematics. He received a doctorate in educational psychology with a specialization in psychometrics and statistical methods from the University of California at Santa Barbara.