Vocabulary SIG Award Winners

2025 Award Winners

Notable Vocabulary Researcher: Dr. Michael Coyne and Dr. Yuuko Uchikoshi Tonkovich

Dr. Yuuko Uchikoshi Tonkovich is a Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Programs in the School of Education at the University of California, Davis. She received her Ed.D. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Human Development and Psychology with a concentration on Language and Literacy. Dr. Uchikoshi’s research focuses on the language and literacy development of young children from linguistically, culturally, and economically diverse backgrounds. Her research also examines the effects of instruction and parental involvement on the language and reading development of school-age children. Her research lab is supported by grants from the National Institute of Health, Foundation for Child Development, Language Learning, and Yolo Community Foundation.

Dr. Michael Coyne is a Professor of Special Education in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut and the Head of the Department of Educational Psychology. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon where he worked with Drs. Edward Kame’enui, Deborah Simmons, and Russell Gersten. His research focuses on early vocabulary and beginning reading instruction and intervention, school-based experimental research, and effective practices for students with learning disabilities. Dr. Coyne has directed multiple grants and contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Education and is currently a principal investigator of the National Research Network on MTSS. Dr. Coyne has worked with state departments of education to develop, implement, and evaluate state-wide MTSS efforts and federal reading initiatives. Dr. Coyne is a former special educator in public schools.

Student Vocabulary Research Paper: No Award Given

Previous Award Winners

Notable Vocabulary Researcher

• 2024: Dr. Jill Fitzgerald, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 2023: Dr. Barbara Wasik, Professor, Temple University
• 2022: Judy Scott, Professor Emeritus, University of California at Santa Cruz
• 2022: Mike Graves, Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota
• 2020: Jim Baumann
• 2019: Catherine Snow
• 2018: David K. Dickinson
• 2017: Elfrieda Hiebert
• 2017: Andrew Biemiller
• 2016: Dr. Margaret G. McKeown, University of Pittsburgh
• 2015: Dr. William Nagy, Seattle Pacific University
• 2014: No Award Given
• 2013: No Award Given
• 2012: Isabel Beck

Student Vocabulary Research Paper

• 2024: Dr. Lori Bruner
• 2023: Dr. Huan Zhang, PhD, University of Houston
• 2022: Min Hyun Oh, PhD Candidate, Vanderbilt University
• 2020: Ming-Yi (Grace) Hsieh
• 2019: JeanMarie Farrow
• 2018: Kathryn Accurso
• 2017: J. Kenneth Logan
• 2016: Dr. Meredith W. Moran, Stanford University
• 2015: Dr. Sean Davidson, University of California, Riverside
• 2014: No Award Given
• 2013: No Award Given
• 2012: Ersoy Erdemir, PhD Candidate, State University of New York, Buffalo
• 2011: Elaine Mo, PhD Candidate, Harvard University