Looking for an education researcher or writer?

You’ve come to the right place.

What I Do

I take on small-scale, user-centered research and writing projects. My research enables organizations to make better products, improve practice, and advocate for better policies.

Who I Work With

I work with educational organizations, nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, media outlets, edtech companies, and others who have interesting questions and a desire to see them fully investigated.

My clients include…

  • ISTE and EdSurge
  • Digital Promise
  • WestEd
  • Siegel Family Endowment
  • SmartBrief
  • Sadlier
  • Stanford Digital Education
  • University of Texas at Dallas
  • Center for Children and Families
  • Science is Elementary

Why work with me?

 
  • I move faster and more flexibly than a typical agency.

  • I don’t take a cookie cutter approach. Instead, I match the research design to the goals, questions, and resources of the client.

  • I collaborate with clients throughout the process—developing protocols, sharing emerging findings, and brainstorming organizational responses.

  • I focus on actionability and recommendations, not just pretty slide decks.

  • I don’t rely on clients’ personal networks. I am intentional in recruiting diverse research subjects.

  • I can listen and speak to a variety of stakeholders and audiences—from research subjects to product teams to policymakers to marketing groups—in ways that resonate with them.

  • My pricing is all-inclusive from day one, so you won’t see unexpected fees.

I’ve been published in…

What People Are Saying

“Dr. Burstein is incredible to work with: detail-oriented, accurate, responsive, and approachable. She has a knack for finding the stories that need to be told and weaving them together into clear, vivid pieces.”

Rachel Berglund, Assistant Director at the Center for Children and Families at University of Texas at Dallas

“Rachel has the rare and cherished gift of being a sterling communicator. She is able to take complex ideas and make meaning of them.”

Dr. Tracy A. Huebner, Director of Innovations for Advancing Teaching and Learning at WestEd

“The time, thoughtfulness, and expertise that Rachel brings are unparalleled.

If you're looking to position yourself as a thought leader in the [education] space, then Rachel is exactly who you need to talk to."

—Martha Karmali, Education, Workforce & Business Services Marketing Manager at SmartBrief

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About Rachel Burstein

Rachel has long experience in the education and research worlds. Before striking out on her own, Rachel led a variety of early childhood and K-12 research projects at EdSurge Research.

Rachel previously worked in research roles at New America where she studied civic innovation in local government; and at Ithaka where she studied university libraries, research practices and digital initiatives in scholarly publishing. In addition, Rachel co-led the development of U.S. history and civics content at IXL Learning and taught history courses at Brooklyn College.

Rachel holds a PhD in U.S. labor history from the CUNY Graduate Center and a BA in history from Swarthmore College.