For Immediate Release
April 3, 2019

Contact:
Tony Pals, tpals@aera.net
(202) 238-3235, (202) 288-9333 (cell)

Collin Boylin, cboylin@aera.net
(202) 238-3233, (860) 490-8326 (cell)

AERA to Hold Town Hall Meetings on Sexual Harassment in Academe and Gun Violence Research at 2019 Annual Meeting

Washington, DC, April 3, 2019 - AERA will hold two Town Hall meetings featuring prominent scholars and policy experts at its 2019 Annual Meeting. Building on the Town Hall meetings held at the 2018 AERA Annual Meeting, these forums will address transforming a culture of sexual harassment in the academy and scholarly professions, and research on gun violence and its implications for schools and communities.

• Sexual Harassment and Climate Change in Scholarly Associations and the Academy—A Town Hall Meeting
  
  Over the past year, AERA and other scientific societies, federal funding agencies, and the academy have continued to ramp up efforts to prevent sexual and gender harassment and improve workplace climates. The release of the National Academies’ report Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine made clear the need for sweeping changes in the culture and climate of the academy and scholarly professions. Most recently, AERA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) led 75 science societies in urging the Education Department to base Title IX sexual harassment regulations on research and evidence, and AERA helped to launch the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM. These efforts follow on several activities that AERA has undertaken to engage with issues of sexual harassment in academia, including supporting the Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act. This session will assess what progress has been made, what critical next steps need to be taken, and how the education research field and other scholarly disciplines can support efforts to build upon our collective concerns and support innovative practices and policies.
  
  Chair: Felice J. Levine (American Educational Research Association); Participants: Shirley M. Malcom (American Association for the Advancement of Science), Shaun R. Harper (University of Southern California), Shannon Lynn Burton (Michigan State University), Carol Mershon (University of Virginia), Valerie Kinloch (University of Pittsburgh)
  
  Session Details:
  Session Hashtag: #AERAonSexualHarassment
  Friday, April 5, 4:20 p.m.– 6:20 p.m.
  Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 100 Level, Room 103 A&B
   
• Gun Violence in Our Schools and Communities—Town Hall Meeting II
  
  Last year, in the wake of the horrific Parkland school shooting and the continuing national tragedy of gun violence, AERA convened an Annual Meeting Town Hall that examined the latest research and existing body of empirical evidence on gun violence and implications for schools and communities. In this follow-up town hall meeting, presenters and attendees will take stock of policy and societal developments, emerging research, and promising practices and policies that help address the roots and consequences of gun violence epidemic. This includes responses to the Federal School Safety Commission’s recommendations to keep students safe at school and discussion on promoting supportive school climates through evidence-based programs and policies.
  
  Chairs: Felice J. Levine (American Educational Research Association), Vivian L. Gadsden (University of Pennsylvania); Participants: Ron Avi Astor (University of Southern California), Dorothy L. Espelage (University of Florida), Matthew J. Mayer (Rutgers University), David M. Osher (American Institutes for Research), Amanda B. Nickerson (University at Buffalo)
  
  Session Details:
  Session Hashtag: #AERAGunViolenceRsch 
  Monday, April 8, 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
  Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 100 Level, Room 103 A&B

The Town Hall meetings are part of AERA’s Research and Science Policy series of sessions at the Annual Meeting. These sessions, along with featured Presidential sessions, address major issues in education and education research—including connecting research to policy on Capitol Hill, reducing child poverty, and fostering transparency in education research, among others. Additional information on these and other key sessions at the 2019 Annual Meeting can be found here. To browse the full online program, click here.

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About AERA
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.