IS SIG Awards

In February 2024, SIG leadership had two petitions approved to create awards that recognized early career scholarship and field-building efforts within the SIG. See details below.

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Early Career Award

This award recognizes an early-career scholar (or scholar-practitioner) that is engaged in continuous improvement research that has practical (pragmatic) and scholarly significance. As a SIG that values impact, equity, collaboration, and leadership, 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:

1) Applicants must be in the early stages of their career, no later than 5 years after receipt of the doctoral degree.

2) Applicants must be actively involved in scholarship on improvement science or continuous improvement in education.

NOMINATION MATERIALS

Nominations must include the following:

A letter of nomination 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 nominees work and qualified to speak on their behalf on this topic.

Self-nominations are accepted.

NOMINATION TIMELINE

The call for nominations, and volunteers for reviewers of nomination materials, will be released in late November or Early December (no later than December 5th)

Nominations will be accepted until January 5th.

Reviews and decision-making will last until February 5th.

SIG leadership will notify AERA Central Office of the award recipient and order award certificates, plaques, and checks no later than February 15th.

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Field Building Award

As a relatively new methodological approach in education, improvement science (and sister continuous improvement methodologies) are promising innovative approaches to tackling education’s longstanding wicked problems. This award recognizes an early/mid-career/senior scholar (or scholar-practitioner) whose scholarly contributions along with their leadership and mentorship have helped develop the burgeoning field.

The 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

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.