I am Dr. Danielle Bailey, the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) and an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas at Tyler. I developed the Forensic Science program at UT Tyler in 2016, and continue to serve as Forensic Science Program Coordinator.
Awards
- Distinguished Teaching Professor and Fellow of the UT Tyler Academy of Distinguished Teachers (2024)
- National Criminal Justice Month Education Award (2023)
- Jack and Dorothy White Fellowship for Teaching Excellence (2020)
- Teaching & Learning Award (2020)
Education
- Ph.D. in Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Nebraska at Omaha (2015)
- Master of Forensic Science, The George Washington University (2010)
- B.S. in Forensic and Investigative Science, West Virginia University (2008)
Teaching
I teach a range of criminal justice and forensic science courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including research methods, crime scene investigation, and community corrections. I’m passionate about helping students connect course content to real-world applications, and I regularly teach in face-to-face, hybrid, and fully online formats. I also enjoy experimenting with flipped classroom strategies to keep students actively engaged.
Over the years, I’ve been honored to receive several awards recognizing my commitment to teaching, including the Jack and Dorothy Faye White Fellowship for Teaching Excellence and a UT Tyler Teaching and Learning Award (both in 2020). One of the highlights of my career was co-developing the “Murder Mystery at UT Tyler” event with my colleague Dr. Jennifer Wooldridge. That project earned us the National Criminal Justice Month Education Award from the American Society of Criminology in 2023. In 2024, I was named a Distinguished Teaching Professor and Fellow of the UT Tyler Academy of Distinguished Teachers, a reflection of my ongoing commitment to excellence in the classroom and beyond.
My dedication to teaching extends into faculty development and instructional leadership. I hold multiple certificates in pedagogy and instructional design, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education for Teachers (2024), a Microcredential in the University Ecosystem from the UT System (2022), the ACUE Certificate in Effective College Instruction (2019), and UT Tyler’s Excellence in Teaching and Innovation Certificate (2016). I previously served as Faculty Liaison for Professional Learning Communities on Global Awareness & Diversity and Academic Innovation. Now, as Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at UT Tyler, I lead campuswide efforts to promote evidence-based strategies that enhance student engagement, equity, and learning outcomes.
Research Focus
My research focuses on the intersection of public policy, lived experience, and criminal justice—particularly in areas related to sexual offending and the collateral consequences of legal sanctions. Much of my recent work explores how sex offender legislation shapes the lives of individuals on the registry and their family members in terms of economic strain, relationship dynamics, community reintegration, and access to social support.
In support of this work, I’ve provided testimony for the Texas House Committees on Country & Regional Government (HB 3087, 2025) and Urban Affairs (HB 387, 2017) as well as the Nebraska Judiciary Committee (LB 290, 2015). My work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Criminal Justice Policy Review, Criminal Justice Studies, American Journal of Criminal Justice, and Criminal Justice Review. A full list of publications, conference presentations, and ongoing projects is available in my curriculum vitae.
Student Research
As a Research Methods professor for the Criminal Justice undergraduate and graduate program, Dr. Bailey has overseen numerous student research projects. Dr. Bailey has also worked as a Faculty Mentor for the Honors College.
