Diana Hess

Diana Hess is the dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Education.

Hess earned her bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University, master's from the University of Illinois, and doctorate from the University of Washington. She taught social studies in high school before becoming an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education in 1999. She researches school civic education programs and their effect on civic engagement, particularly discussions about controversial political issues. Hess's published works include Controversy in the Classroom, which won the 2009 National Council for the Social Studies Exemplary Research Award, and The Political Classroom (2014). She was the senior vice president of the Spencer Foundation before she was named dean of the UW School of Education in June 2015. Her predecessor, Julie Underwood, served the post for a decade. Hess's term began in August 2015.