CALL FOR AWARDS: Improvement Science SIG Early Career Award

The Improvement Science SIG Early Career Award aims to recognize the valuable contributions of early-career scholars or scholar-practitioners engaged in continuous improvement research with practical (pragmatic) and scholarly significance. It particularly seeks to promote continuous improvement research that encourages and supports the growth and development of individuals actively involved in advancing improvement science (and related continuous improvement methodologies). This award underscores the SIG’s mission to promote research and practices that foster positive change and address complex educational problems by specifically recognizing scholarship that exemplifies the principles of continuous improvement and addresses wicked educational problems in various educational contexts. The SIG values impact, equity, collaboration, and leadership: and therefore, the awardee’s body of work should illustrate a commitment to those values.  

This award is designed to recognize scholarship that:

1. Exemplifies the principles of continuous improvement as defined by the specific method used.
2. Addresses wicked educational problems, in PK-12, higher education, or education-adjacent settings.
3. Demonstrates real impact on (or generates learning about) educational experiences, processes, or outcomes, especially positive impact on those from minoritized or marginalized communities.
4. Is driven by collaborative (humanizing) inquiry processes that capitalize on the expertise of multiple, diverse stakeholders and democratize the use of data.

Inclusion criteria to be eligible for this award are: 

• Applicants must be:
  • In the early stages of their career having completed their doctorate within the last five years
  • Actively contributing to scholarship on improvement science or related continuous improvement methodologies (Two or more relevant publications in the last five years)
    • Contributions can take many forms (journal publications, books, presentations, media posts, white papers, blog posts, policy briefs, etc.)  

Self-nominations are accepted. Nominations must include the following:

• A letter of nomination from an active SIG member explaining why this nominee is qualified to be recognized in this manner;
• The nominee's most recent curriculum vitae;
• Two representative scholarly publications by the nominee; and
• Two letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee’s work and qualified to speak on their behalf on this topic. 

Timeline

Please send your nomination packets to the Improvement Science SIG past chair, Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford (bhinnan@clemson.edu). Nominations will be accepted until January 5th. Reviews and decision-making will last until mid-February. The awardee will be presented with a plaque at the 2025 AERA Annual Meeting. If an awardee cannot attend, the plaque will be mailed to you after the annual meeting.

CALL FOR AWARDS: Improvement Science SIG Field Building Award

The Improvement Science SIG Field Building Award aims to recognize an early/mid-career/senior scholar (or scholar-practitioner) whose scholarly contributions as well as leadership and mentorship have helped develop the burgeoning field. As a relatively new methodological approach in education, improvement science (and related continuous improvement methodologies) are promising innovative approaches to tackling education's longstanding wicked problems. Our by-laws state that our purpose is to be a professional community that “ builds knowledge about the principals, methods, and tools of improvement science and related approaches” and this award will allow us to recognize those who are not only building knowledge but spreading knowledge and building the field.

This award is intended to recognize a scholar who:

1. Makes significant contributions to the field with theoretical and/or empirical scholarship on continuous improvement methodologies or using continuous improvement methodologies 
   1. Particular attention is paid to significant contributions advancing knowledge on the humanizing inquiry processes and methodologies that advance equity and disrupt marginalization)
   2. These contributions can take many forms (journal publications, books, presentations, media posts, white papers, blog posts, policy briefs, etc.) 
2. Holds leadership positions in local/regional/national/discipline-specific organizations, raising the visibility of improvement research
3. Has a record of mentoring junior scholars or practitioner-scholars in continuous improvement methodologies' helping them navigate venues for publication, presentation, as well as tenure
4. Is driven by collaborative (humanizing) inquiry processes that capitalize on the expertise of multiple, diverse stakeholders and democratize the use of data.

Inclusion criteria to be eligible for this award are:

Applicants must be actively involved (recent involvement in publications, projects, service, mentorship, or thought leadership that reflects the three kinds of contributions this award is intended to recognize) in scholarship on improvement science or continuous improvement in education

Self-nominations are accepted. Nominations must include the following:

• A letter of nomination from an active SIG member explaining why this nominee is qualified to be recognized in this manner;
• The nominee's most recent curriculum vitae;
• Two representative scholarly publications by the nominee;
• Two letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee's work and qualified to speak on their behalf on this topic. One letter of support must come from someone who has been mentored by the individual.

Timeline:

Please send your nomination packets to the Improvement Science SIG Past-Chair, Dr. Brandi Hinnant-Crawford (bhinnan@clemson.edu). Nominations will be accepted until January 5th. Reviews and decision-making will last until mid-February. The awardee will be presented with a plaque at the 2025 AERA Annual Meeting. If an awardee cannot attend, the plaque will be mailed to you after the annual meeting.