Religion & Education American Education Religious Association

Religion and Education SIG Awards

The SIG presented awards in three categories: the Distinguished Achivement Award, the Emerging Scholar Award, and the Dissertation of the Year Award. See below for details on each award and past winners.

2023 Call for Nominations:

The Religion & Education SIG Award Committee is accepting nominations for its Emerging Scholar Award for an early career scholar who has made significant contributions to the field of religion and education. Nominees must be within the ten years of receiving their doctorate. Membership in AERA and/or the SIG is not a requirement for submission.

The Award Committee is also accepting nominations for its Distinguished Achievement Award for an individual who has made outstanding contributions and is still active in the field of religion and education. Nominees must have least 15 years’ experience in the field post-doctorate. Membership in AERA and/or the SIG is not a requirement for submission.

Nominations due: Monday, January 16, 2023  Friday, January 20

Past Award Winners

Distinguished Scholar Award

  • 2021 – Charles J. Russo, University of Dayton
  • 2019 – Michael D. Waggoner University of Northern Iowa
  • 2017 – Zehavit Gross Bar-Ilan University, Israel
  • 2015 – William H. Jeynes California State University, Long Beach
  • 2013 – Nicholas Piediscalzi Wright State University
 

Emerging Scholar Award

  • 2021 Kate E. Soules, Religion & Education Collaborative
  • 2019 – Kevin J. Burke University of Georgia
  • 2017 – Matthew Mayhew New York University
  • 2015 Alyssa Bryant Rockenbach North Carolina State University
 

Dissertation-of-the-Year Award

  • 2022 – Christopher Olshefski, University of Pittsburgh, “Functions of Religious Literacy in Literary Discussions of National Board-Certified English Teachers”
  • 2020 –  W. Y. Alice Chan, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, “Exploring a Potential Connection between Religious Bullying and Religious Literacy in Modesto and Montreal Public Schools”
  • 2018 – Kimberly Rebecca Logan, University of Georgia, “Unpacking Religious Understandings in Teachings: Christian Pre-Service Teachers’ Narratives of Calling, Love, and Relationships”
  • 2014 – Tiffani A. Riggers-Piehl, University of California, Los Angeles, “Enhancing Classrooms and Conversations: How Interactions with Faculty Predict Change in Students’ Spirituality in College”
  • 2012 – P. Jesse Rine, University of Virginia, “Pluralism, Provisionally, & Faith: Christian College Persistence in the Postmodern Turn”
  • 2008 – Jason Eric Nelson-Brown, University of Washington, “The Key of the Kingdom: How teacher beliefs about religion impact their experiences teaching”
  • 2006 – James M. M. Hartwick, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “An investigation into the spiritual, religious, and prayer lives of Wisconsin public school teachers: The inner life of the teacher”

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

The Religion & Education SIG Award Committee is accepting nominations for its 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award for an individual who has made outstanding contributions and is still active in the field of religion and education. Nominees must have least 15 years’ experience in the field post doctorate. Membership in AERA and/or the SIG is not a requirement for submission.

The awards committee will use a five-point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor) to evaluate the following aspects of each nominee’s achievements: (1) the quality and impact of the nominee’s research contributions to the field; (2) the quality and impact of the nominee’s teaching contributions, aware that teaching takes place both within and beyond the academy; and (3) the quality and impact of the nominee’s service to the field.

Each nominee will prepare and submit a nomination packet that includes the following:

  • A nominating letter from a colleague in the field establishing the merit of the nominee;
  • Two supporting letters;
  • The nominee’s curriculum vita, detailing their research, teaching, and service to the field;
  • Up to three supporting documents, providing evidence of the award’s criteria.
    • Examples of documents submitted in the past may include publications, grant awards, public scholarship, and curricula.

 

The due date for entries is Monday, January 16, 2023  Friday, January 20

Please send nomination materials to the Chair of the Religion & Education Distinguished Achievement Award Committee, Dr. Elizabeth Pope, epope@westga.edu.

Review of nomination packets will begin no later than Friday, January 20, 2023. The winner will be informed no later than Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

The award will be presented at the 2023 business meeting of the Religion & Education SIG at the AERA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL (April 13-16, 2023).

EMERGING SCHOLAR AWARD

The Religion & Education SIG Award Committee is accepting nominations for its 2023 Emerging Scholar Award for an early career scholar who has made significant contributions to the field of religion and education. Nominees must be within the ten years of receiving their doctorate. Membership in AERA and/or the SIG is not a requirement for submission.

The awards committee will use a five-point scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, poor) to evaluate the following aspects of each nominee’s achievements: (1) the quality and impact of the nominee’s early-career research contributions to the field; (2) the quality and impact of the nominee’s early-career teaching contributions, aware that teaching takes place both within and beyond the academy; and (3) the quality and impact of the nominee’s service to the field.

Each nominee will prepare and submit a nomination packet that includes the following:

  • A nominating letter from a colleague in the field establishing the merit of the nominee;
  • Two supporting letters;
  • The nominee’s curriculum vita, detailing their research, teaching, and service to the field;
  • Up to three supporting documents, providing evidence of the award’s criteria. Examples of documents submitted in the past may include publications, grant awards, public scholarship, and curricula.

 

The due date for entries is Monday, January 16, 2023  Friday, January 20

Please send nomination materials to the Chair of the Religion & Education Emerging Scholar Award Committee, Dr. Gayle Pagnoni, at glpagnoni@gmail.com.

Review of nomination packets will begin no later than Friday, January 20, 2023. The winner will be informed no later than Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

The award will be presented at the 2023 business meeting of the Religion & Education SIG at the AERA Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL (April 13-16, 2023).

DISSERTATION OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Disseration of the Year Award is presented in even-numbered years. The next award will be given in 2024. Dissertations completed between January 2022 and December 2023 will be eligible in the next award cycle.

2022 Call for Nominations

The Religion and Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association sponsors a biennial competition to recognize an outstanding dissertation published in the interdisciplinary field of religion and education. This is a call for nominations for the 2022 Religion and Education SIG Dissertation of the Year Award. Dissertations completed and degrees conferred within the timeframe of August 2019 and December 2021 will be eligible.

Nominations are invited for dissertations on topics at the intersection of religion and education from all religious traditions, disciplines, and methodological approaches. 

Application Process
Applicants may self-nominate by submitting the following three .pdf documents:

(1) a single-paged cover letter detailing the nominee’s degree granting institution, date of successful defense, list of dissertation committee members, and the nominee’s current contact information (name, current job title, address, phone number, and email address);

(2) a four- to five-page double-spaced detailed summary of the dissertation; and

(3) one accompanying nomination letter of support (to be submitted with the nomination package).


The 4-5 page summary should be blinded so all identifying information is removed. In the summary of the dissertation, please include (in this order):

1. Objectives or purposes of the research project
2. Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
3. Methods, techniques, or modes of inquiry
4. Data sources, objects, evidence, or materials
5. Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view
6. Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work

Purpose of the SIG:

The purpose of the SIG is to report on, disseminate, and engage in academic dialogue about research on the intersections of education with divergent and emerging topics and issues involving religion, worldviews, and/or ethics. All types and levels of schooling, including but not limited to public, independent, faith-based, K-12 and/or higher education will be considered. The SIG encourages the presentation of high quality quantitative and/or qualitative research, as well as other types of academic interdisciplinary inquiry. The SIG welcomes a diversity of views, while not advocating specific positions regarding religion and education beyond respect for human dignity and respect for all persons.

SIG Leadership

Dr. Kate E. Soules, Chair (5/1/21 – 4/30/23) — Religion & Education Collaborative, Boston, MA


Dr. Elizabeth Pope, Assistant Chair/Chair-Elect (6/15/21 – 4/30/23) — University of West Georgia, Carrolton, GA


Dr. Joshua Patterson, Program Chair (5/1/22 – 4/30/24) — SoundRocket, Athens, GA


Dr. Heidi Hadley ,Assistant Program Chair (5/1/22-4/30/23) — Missouri State University, Springfield, MO


Dr. Brett Bertucio,Secretary/Treasurer, (5/1/22 – 4/30/23) — Benedictine College, Atchinson, KS


Dr. Gayle Pagnoni, Executive Committee Member (5/1/22 – 4/30/23) — Independent Scholar


Dr. John Shekitka, Executive Committee Member (5/1/22 – 4/30/23) — Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY


Hisham Qureshi, Graduate Student Representative (5/1/22 – 4/30/22) — University of Georgia, Athens, GA


Luke Walden, Graduate Student Representative (5/1/22 – 4/30/22) — University of Memphis, Memphis, TN