Dr. Ada Haynes is a Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the Center for Assessment and Improvement of Learning at Tennessee Tech University. Through her work as Co-PI on three NSF grants for developing, refining, and disseminating the Critical thinking Assessment Test (CAT), she has collaborated with over 300 institutions around the world on assessing and improving students' critical thinking skills. 

Dr. Haynes has served as an evaluator on numerous NSF grants. Her research interests include gender, racial, ethnic, and regional inequality along with issues faced by immigrants and Appalachians.