September 2022

AERA has announced that it will reintroduce the Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop at the 2023 AERA Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 13–15. The workshop is designed to build the talent pool of undergraduate students who plan to pursue doctorate degrees in education research or in disciplines and fields that examine education and learning from early childhood to workforce participation. This fellowship seeks to attract students who have an interest in pursuing careers as researchers, faculty members, or other professionals engaged in advancing knowledge or solving challenging problems in the field.

AERA held its first workshop in 2009 to expose undergraduate students to the Annual Meeting and to careers in education research. With guidance from senior scholars and researchers, the workshop has evolved to focus on a broad range of topics such as methods used in education research and strategies to apply to graduate school. Travel limitations and other challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic led to a pause in program.

“We are now eager to resume this important workshop and support developing undergraduate researchers and their work,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “This workshop is a crucial part of commitment to developing new researchers and to building research capacity among the next generation of scholars.”

The workshop aims to enhance undergraduate students’ research training and give them an opportunity to present work at the AERA Annual Meeting. This happens through an invited poster session, where they receive immediate and constructive feedback on their work from the education research community. For many of the participants, this is the first opportunity they have to present their work to an audience beyond their campus. Workshop participants also have opportunities to network with graduate students, faculty members, and other researchers.

The undergraduate student participants are selected through a competitive application process. Applicants are expected to have recent or ongoing research exposure related to an education research question or topic. AERA encourages its members and others in the research community to share information about the workshop and to identify potential undergraduate applicants.

Past participants note that the workshop helped them to meet new mentors and establish enduring mentoring relationships. Participants have gone on to graduate school and now work in the field as assistant professors, data and policy analysts, and other early career research positions.

Students selected to participate in the workshop receive complimentary annual meeting registration and two-nights' lodging in Chicago. The Call for Applications provides further information about program eligibility and other workshop details. Questions may be directed to George L. Wimberly, AERA director of professional development, at fellowships@aera.net. Applications are due by November 15, 2022.