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Martin J. Kaufman Early Career Research Award

Distinguished Early Career Research Award

In recognition of the critical role of research to both current practice in and the future of the field of Special Education, the CEC-DR seeks nominations for the Martin J. Kaufman Early Career Research Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in special education, in basic and/ or applied research, within the first 10 years following receipt of the doctoral degree. Nominations are sought across all areas of Special Education as well as all forms of research methodology. The award, cosponsored by the Hammill Institute on Disabilities includes $1,000 presented at the DR Reception at the CEC Annual Convention and an invited presentation at CEC the following year. Previous recipients of this award include: Alexandra Trout, Jeanne Wanzek, Michael Wehmeyer, Ron Nelson, Patricia Mathes, Rollanda O’Connor, Batya Elbaum, Terry Scott, Kathleen Lane, Frank Symons, Bryan Cook, Michael Coyne, Erik Carter, Stephanie Al Otaiba, Linda Mason, Kristen McMaster, Paul Morgan, Brian Boyd, Erin Barton, Christopher Lemons, Sarah Powell, Chad Rose, Sara McDaniel, Nicholas Gage, and Robin Parks Ennis.

 

To submit a nomination/self-nomination for this award, email a copy of the following by October 15th, to chair of this award:
  1. A letter of nomination, NO LONGER THAN 3 pages, addressing each of the following as appropriate:
    • the general theme(s) of the nominee's research
    • important theoretical contributions attributable to the nominee
    • critical research findings
    • degree to which the nominee's work has influenced the work of others both within and outside the field of Special Education, in the areas of practice, teacher preparation, and future research
    • the extent to which the nominee has mentored students or others in research in Special Education
  2. The nominee’s complete and current vitae
  3. No more than five representative reprints; the emphasis here is to be on primary reports of research, as opposed to books or chapters
  4. Names, email addresses, and phone numbers of up to five references familiar with the nominee's work.
     

Dr. Linda Holly Mason, Chair 
CEC-DR Martin J. Kaufman Distinguished Early Career Research Award Committee
lmason20@gmu.edu

Past Award Recipients

Dr. Matthew Brock

Dr. Matthew Brock has been named the recipient of the 2023 Division of Research Martin J. Kauffman Distinguished Early Career Research Award. Dr. Brock received his doctorate in 2014 in Special Education from the Vanderbilt University and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Ohio State University. Dr. Brock is one of the top young scholars in the field of improving outcomes for students with significant cognitive disabilities; noted by his recognition in 2021 as being in the top 2% of Stanford World Ranking Scientist Worldwide. His work focuses on two intersecting themes; inclusion and peer-mediated intervention and preparing teachers and paraprofessionals to implement evidence-based practices for students with significant disabilities. He has published extensively in top tier journals such as Exceptional Children, the Journal of Special Education, and Teacher Education and Special Education. He has also published one book, multiple book chapters, and has presented at multiple national conferences and webinars. Additionally, Dr. Brock has secured highly competitive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Brock’s scholarly accomplishments are impressive considering the extensive training he has provided to teachers and paraprofessionals. Dr. Brock has received multiple awards for his research including the 2021 Research Award (Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, CEC) and the 2020 TASH Early Career Researcher Award.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Bettini

Dr. Elizabeth Bettini has been named the recipient of the 2023 Division of Research Martin J. Kauffman Distinguished Early Career Research Award. Dr. Bettini received her doctorate in 2015 in Special Education from the University of Florida and is currently an Associate Professor in the Special Education Program at Boston University. Dr. Bettini is one of the top young scholars in the field of special education teacher preparation. Her research focuses on five interrelated themes – teachers’ working conditions; association of working conditions and teacher’s instruction; association of working conditions and commitment to continue teaching; leaders’ conceptualization and responsibility in providing supportive working conditions; and the nature of inequities in students’ access to skilled special educators. Dr. Bettini has published extensively in top tier journals including Exceptional Children, the Journal of Special Education, and Review of Educational Research. Additionally, Dr. Bettini has secured highly competitive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Bettini’s scholarly accomplishments are impressive considering her numerous national presentations, service to the CEC Teacher Education Division, and editorial service. Dr. Bettini has received multiple awards for her research including the Outstanding Review Awards in 2019, 2020, and 2019 (Teacher Education and Special Education and Review of Educational Research), the 2018 Lives of Teachers Best Paper Award (AERA Lives of Teacher SIG), and the 2016 Division of Research (CEC) Quantitative Dissertation Award.

Dr. Robin Parks Ennis, associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been named the recipient of the 2022 Council of Exceptional Children Division of Research Martin J. Kaufman Distinguished Early Career Research Award. Dr. Ennis received her doctorate in 2013 from Georgia State University. Her outstanding contributions to the field of emotional and behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, and literacy are well substantiated within the research and the research-to-practice literature with over 100 publications. 

Dr. Ennis’ research focuses on the use of multitiered systems of support frameworks to simultaneously address academic difficulties and behavioral deficits/ excesses. She was the first researcher to extend the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instructional approach into residential settings and has expanded this approach across writing and math, choice-making, behavior-specific praise, precorrection, and high-probability requests. Her research has received multiple awards, including the inaugural Interventionist Award from the Council for Children with Behavior Disorders, which recognized her innovation in establishing a coherent line of intervention research. In addition to outstanding scholarship, Dr. Ennis has made significant contributions to the field through mentorship of the next generation of scholars and special and general education teachers, and through extensive editorial and organizational service. 

Nominator: Kristine Jolivette, University of Alabama

 

Dr. Robin Parks Ennis

Associate Professor

College of Education

University of Alabama at Birmingham

 Dr. Nicholas Gage has been named the recipient of the CEC-DR 2021 Distinguished Early Career Research Award. He received his doctorate in 2010 in special education from the University of Missouri and is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood studies at the University of Florida. Dr. Gage is one of the most promising young scholars in the area of evidence-based policies and practices at the national, state, local, and classroom-level that support students with or at-risk for behavioral disabilities. His work is encompassed within a multi-tiered system of support framework commonly used in schools. He has published extensively in top tier journals, such as the American Educational Research Journal, Exceptional Children, and the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions. He has also published multiple book chapters and makes numerous presentations yearly at national conferences. Additionally, Dr. Gage has secured seven research and training grants totaling $4 million and has a strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of teachers and researchers in the field of special education. Dr. Gage’s scholarly accomplishments are particularly impressive in light of the service he provides educators in the field through ongoing professional development in classroom management, school-wide positive supports, and bullying prevention. 

 

Awardee contact information: Nicholas Gage, University of Florida

 

Nominator: Erica McCray, University of Florida

 Dr. Sara McDaniel has been named the recipient of the DR 2020 Distinguished Early Career Research Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in basic and/or applied research in special education within the first 10 years after receiving the doctoral degree.

 

She received her doctorate in 2011 in special education from Georgia State University, and completed Internships at Vanderbilt University and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Southeast Division. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Special Education and Multiple Disabilities at the University of Alabama.  Dr. McDaniel is one of the most promising young scholars in the area of emotional and behavioral disorders. Her emerging focus on reducing youth violence and racism and discrimination is gaining considerable recognition in the United States. She has published extensively in journals, such as the Journal of Applied Psychology in Schools, Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, Behavioral Disorders, and Elementary School Journal. She has also published multiple book chapters, and makes numerous presentations yearly at national conferences. Additionally, she has been able to secure a highly competitive R01 grant from the National Institute of Health: Youth Violence Prevention Interventions that Incorporate Racism/Discrimination Prevention. This project is a 5-year randomized control trial of Coping Power versus Comping Power+, which includes racism and discrimination content. SWPBIS will be leveraged to include much-needed adaptations. Dr. McDaniel’s scholarly accomplishments are particularly impressive in light of the service she provides to the fields of special and general education.

Dr. Chad Rose is the recipient of the CEC Division for Research 2019 Distinguished Early Career Research Award. He received his doctorate in 2010 in special education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and is currently an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of Missouri. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in basic and/or applied research in special education within the first 10 years after receiving the doctoral degree.

 

Dr. Rose is one of, if not the, most promising young scholars in the area of bullying among students with disabilities. His work is theoretically based and gaining considerable recognition in the United States and internationally. He has published extensively in top tier journals, such as the Journal of Learning Disabilities, Exceptional Children, and Remedial and Special Education. He has also published multiple book chapters, and makes numerous presentations yearly at national conferences. Additionally, he has been able to secure a highly competitive grant from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Rose’s scholarly accomplishments are particularly impressive in light of the service he provides to the fields of special and general education. He has been involved with national task forces and received numerous awards such as the Alberti Center Early Career Award for distinguished scholarly contributions to bully abuse and prevention.

Dr. Sarah Powell has been named the recipient of the CEC Division for Research 2018 Distinguished Early Career Research Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in basic and/or applied research in special education within the first 10 years after receiving the doctoral degree.

 

Dr. Powell received her doctorate in 2009 in special education from Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Education, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Powell is one of, if not the, most promising young scholars in the area of mathematics education and high incidence disabilities. Her mathematics intervention work is theoretically based and gaining considerable recognition in the United States and internationally. She has published extensively in top tier journals, such as the Journal of Educational Psychology, Exceptional Children, Learning and Individual Differences, and Elementary School Journal. She has also published multiple book chapters and a textbook, and makes numerous presentations yearly at national conferences. Additionally, she has been able to secure highly competitive grants from the Institute for Education Sciences, National Science Foundation, and Spencer Foundation to support her research. Dr. Powell’s scholarly accomplishments are particularly impressive in light of the service she provides to the fields of special and general education.

 

The Early Career Research Award, co-sponsored by the Donald D. Hammill Foundation, includes a $1000 honorarium.

 

Dr. Sarah Powell

Assistant Professor

Department of Special Education

University of Texas at Austin

srpowell@austin.utexas.edu

The Division for Research is pleased to name two recipients of its 2017 Distinguished Early Career Research Award:  Dr. Erin Barton and Dr. Christopher Lemons.  This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in basic and/or applied research in special education within the first 10 years after receiving the doctoral degree.

 

Dr. Erin Barton received her doctorate in special education from Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Education, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Special Education in that college. Dr. Barton is considered one of the most promising young scholars in Early Childhood Special Education. Her research record is impeccable, and through her work she is having a significant impact on practice and policy in this area. She has more than 50 publications and many are in top tier, high impact journals. In addition, she has been active in securing federal monies to support her research and the development of future doctoral students. She is currently the Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on two research grants awarded by the Institute for Education Sciences, and three personnel development grants award by the Office of Special Education Programs.

 

Dr. Chris Lemons received his doctorate in special education from Vanderbilt University, Peabody College of Education, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Special Education in that college. Dr. Lemons is recognized as an influential junior scholar in the field of special education, and is conducting research on students with Down Syndrome that is questioning long standing practice in this area. Dr. Lemons’ promise as a scholar is evident in his prolific scholarly record and national awards he has received. He is one of 13 educational researchers who has received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and received the 2016 Pueschel-Tjossem Memorial Research Award from the National Down Syndrome Congress. Dr. Lemons has published more than 30 papers and book chapters in top tier, high impact journals. He is currently the Principal or Co-Principal Investigator on 4 research grants funded by the Institute for Education Sciences and 5 personnel development grants funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, including a collaborative project designed to prepare future leaders to conduct research on and educate others about intensive interventions.

 

Dr. Erin Barton

Assistant Professor

Department of Special Education

College of Education and Human Development

Vanderbilt University

erin.barton@vanderbilt.edu

 

Christopher Lemons

Assistant Professor

Department of Special Education

College of Education and Human Development

Vanderbilt University

chris.lemons@vanderbilt.edu

The Division for Research is pleased to name Dr. Brian Boyd the recipient of the DR 2016 Distinguished Early Career Research Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in basic and/or applied research in special education within the first 10 years after receiving the doctoral degree. The award, co-sponsored by the Donald D. Hammill Foundation, includes $1,000 to be presented to each recipient at the DR reception at the 2015 CEC Annual Convention and Expo and an invited presentation at the CEC convention the following year.

 

Dr. Boyd received his doctorate in special education from the University of Florida, and currently is an Associate Professor in the Division of Occupational Sciences and Therapy, Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Boyd is considered one of the most promising scholars in the areas of Early Childhood and Autism. He has published 46 papers in top tier journals, such as the Journal of Child Psychology and the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, and his work is cited frequently. Dr. Boyd has also been highly successful in securing considerable competitive, federal funding for his work from the National Institutes for Health and the U.S. Department of Education.

 

Brian Boyd

Assistant Professor

Department of Allied Health Sciences

School of Medicine

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

brian_boyd@med.unc.edu  

Last Updated:  3 February, 2021

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