The AERA Professional Development Program builds capacity and enhances research skills among graduate students, early career scholars, senior scholars, and others who produce and use education research. This involves training researchers and scholars in research methods and conceptual and analytic issues related to research; drawing connections between education research and policy; and addressing important issues of professional development research practice and policy of the highest quality. Advances in research methods, statistical techniques, technology, and general modes and methods of research make professional development within AERA a continual and ongoing process.

The Program provides professional development in several forms which include training courses and workshops held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, mentoring and capacity building activities for students and early career scholars, institutes on specific research topics and educational issues, and collaborative support for Division and SIG trainings.

The AERA Professional Development Program provides dissertation funding and training to graduate students through the AERA Grants Program and the Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research. Small research grants are available to early career scholars who use large-scale, federally funded datasets in their studies. AERA collaborates with American Institutes for Research (AIR) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to provide postdoctoral fellowships in applied research.

For further information about funding see the AERA Fellowships and Grants webpage.