About Dr. Agarwal

Pooja K. Agarwal, Ph.D. (she/her, @RetrieveLearn) is a cognitive scientist, conducting research on how students learn since 2005. She is the author of the book Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning, editor of the book Smart Teaching Stronger Learning, and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, teaching psychological science to exceptional undergraduate musicians.

Dr. Agarwal’s award-winning research has been published in prominent peer-reviewed academic journals; recognized by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education, featured in The New York Times, Education Week, Scientific American, and NPR; and highlighted in numerous books, podcasts, and videos.

Drawing on her combined 20 years of experience as a scientist, public school teacher, and college professor, Dr. Agarwal shares practical research-based resources for thousands of educators around the world with keynotes, workshops, and her newsletter at RetrievalPractice.org. Her love of learning formed at the outset of her career as a 4th and 5th grade teacher, and she earned her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Professional Development Offerings

Dr. Agarwal offers customized professional development around the world, ranging from keynotes to multi-day workshops. Email her at ask@retrievalpractice.org for more information.