Dr. Ann Austin has been busy which is not unusual for her. Most recently, she was honored with the Division J (Higher/Postsecondary Education) Exemplary Research Award of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) earlier this month at the annual conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This award is a special honor our division bestows on one of our most esteemed colleagues. The primary purpose of this award is to recognize and reward an individual who demonstrates an outstanding record of scholarly research in our field. The focus is on experienced faculty, both associate and full professors, who demonstrate an unusually high level of accomplishment. They are recognized scholars whose published research has made an outstanding contribution to knowledge and understanding in the field of higher education. Nominations should provide a detailed description and explanation of the nature and quality of the contribution as well as two noteworthy publications that typify the impact the nominated scholar has made both in terms of contribution to the literature and its impact on the field and practice.
Previous recipients include: Dr. William Tierney, Dr. George Kuh, Dr. John Thelin, Dr. Anne Neumann, and MSU’s very own Dr. James Fairweather.
Congratulations, Dr. Austin!
Additionally, at AERA, Dr. Austin led a special Presidential Symposium, “Linking Theory, Research, and Practice to Improve STEM Undergraduate Education.” The session speakers included national leaders in STEM reform efforts, including Dr. Jim Fairweather.
Some of Dr. Austin’s presentations from earlier in the year include:
“Situating Individual Efforts for Reform within Organizational Systems”
Invited Keynote and the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Special Symposium on Student-Centered Education in the Molecular and Life Sciences. Seattle, Washington, August 7, 2013.
“Issues Confronting American Universities: Looking Back, Looking Forward”
Invited speaker at the Academic Leadership Program (ALP), sponsored by the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC). East Lansing, MI, October 3, 2013.
“Preparing the Next generation of Faculty as Effective Teachers”
National Research Council Meeting on Barriers and Opportunities in Completing 2- and 4- Year Degrees. Washington, DC, November 23, 2013.