Two University of Maryland faculty members have been elected to membership in the National Academy of Education, one of the highest honors an education researcher can achieve.
College of Education Professor Melanie Killen and Professor Emeritus Alan Wigfield are among 14 leaders and scholars recognized in 2024 and UMD Distinguished University Professors elected to the Academy in 2020 Join Patricia Alexander.
“Dr. ,” said University President Darryl J. Pines.
The National Academy of Education promotes quality educational research and its application to policy and practice. It is comprised of U.S. members and international collaborators who serve on expert research committees addressing important issues in education and engage in the Academy's professional development fellowship program.
“Dr. Killen and Dr. Wigfield are both truly deserving of this recognition,” said Kimberly Griffin, Dean of the College of Education. “Their research into how young people grow and develop socially, morally, and academically contributes to our understanding of human development and how educators and communities can improve the development of all children.” and have a vital impact on our understanding of how we can better support learning.”
Since arriving at the University of Maryland as an associate professor in 1994, Killen has earned the titles of Professor of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Distinguished Scholar-Teacher. Her research focuses on children's social and moral development and theory of mind, and even when children value equality and fairness, children's interpretations of others often reflect prejudice and prejudice. It includes that it reflects. She has designed school-based intervention programs that help reduce prejudice, change group norms, and increase positive expectations for friendships with diverse peers.
“I am deeply honored to have been elected to the National Academy of Education,” said Killen. “This is a great opportunity to interact with other academics in the field of education and help launch research that addresses pressing educational issues in today’s society. I also have the opportunity to mentor the next generation of scholars who will drive research. I'm looking forward to it. It's a special pleasure to receive this award in the same year as my good friend and colleague Alan Wigfield.”
The University of Maryland has recognized Killen with multiple awards, including the Graduate School Mentor of the Year Award, the Undergraduate Mentor of the Year Award, and the Board of Trustees' Faculty Award for Mentoring. Killen is a member of the Association for Psychological Science, the American Psychological Association, and the Society for the Study of Psychological Problems. She is the author of her two books and five of her books, including “Handbook of Moral Development” (1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions) and “Morality in Everyday Life: A Developmental Perspective” We are co-editing.,This book received the 1997 Outstanding Book Award from the Moral Development and Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. Additionally, Killen is a former associate editor of these magazines. child development, human development and Early education and development. She holds an International Professorship at the University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Mr. Wigfield joined the College of Education faculty in 1989 as an assistant professor and currently holds the positions of Professor Emeritus, Distinguished Scholar and Teacher, and University Professor Emeritus in the Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology. His research focuses on how children's motivation in different areas develops across the school years. He has designed interventions to improve children's reading motivation and comprehension, as well as students' STEM motivation and participation.
“I have great respect for the important work the Academy does, and have always been impressed by the group of academics and policymakers who are members. I am thrilled to be joining them. “I am especially pleased to have been elected in the same year as my long-time colleague and friend Melanie Killen,” said Wigfield. “My own research, particularly intervention research, lies at the intersection of research and education policy, so I look forward to contributing to the ongoing discussion about the research-policy nexus taking place in the academy.”
Among numerous awards for research, teaching, and mentoring, Mr. Wigfield has received the American Educational Research Association Division C Sylvia Scribner Award and the University of Maryland Graduate School's Graduate Mentor of the Year Award. He is a member of the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Society for Psychological Science. He is a former deputy editor. Journal of Educational Psychology and child development He is also a former editor of the Education, Learning and Human Development section of . American Educational Research Journal. Additionally, he holds honorary international visiting professorships at Heidelberg University, Tübingen University, and Korea University in Germany.
