Faculty to co-edit top AERA research journal

Four faculty members in the Penn State College of Education have been named co-editors of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) journal Review of Educational Research (RER) for 2022–25. Mildred Boveda, Karly Sarita Ford, Erica Frankenberg and Francesca López will succeed P. Karen Murphy, who has been editorin-chief of the journal since 2017.

“Congratulations to my colleagues on being selected as the incoming editors of the No. 1 Education/Education Research journal in the world. I could not be more excited to be passing the journal on to such capable scholars,” said Murphy, head of the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education, and distinguished professor of education (educational psychology).

College of Education Dean Kim Lawless said she cannot wait to see how the journal continues to advance under the newly named co-editors. “The fact that the editorship of this journal has been with our college for the past five years and will continue for the next three years is a testament to the nationwide respect for the work of our outstanding faculty,” Lawless said. The team was appointed by AERA President Na’ilah Suad Nasir. Their appointment culminated an extensive search driven by the AERA Journal Publications Committee, which is charged with making editorial

Mildred Boveda recommendations to the president. As editors, the new team began receiving new manuscripts on April 1. “I am thrilled with the appointment of such an outstanding team of scholars,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “Under their leadership, the journal will continue to build on its strengths while also focusing on equity concerns among the journals’ readers, Erica Frankenberg authors and content.” The co-editors will be joined by a distinguished group of associate editors that includes Hollie Kulago, associate professor of education (curriculum and supervision). RER publishes critical, integrative reviews of research literature bearing on education. For details, check Penn State News at https://bit.ly/3ufp37V online.

Karly Sarita Ford

Francesca López

Lawless featured in video series on leadership

In a video series titled “Perspective: Leaders at Penn State,” Kim Lawless, Dean of Penn State’s College of Education, reflects on her passion for remaking furniture while sharing her approach to creating classrooms where students can discover and embrace their unique talents.

“Honoring and empowering the qualities and assets that students bring into our classrooms and will take with them when they move into their careers — when we embrace those differences, you can help students identify with education in a very different way,” Lawless said in the video. “The motivations that students have for being here — as an educator, when you identify those motivations, there are absolutely no limits to what can be learned.”

The series gives a glimpse of the personal passions that have driven our leaders and have shaped their perspectives and impact at Penn State and beyond.

Learn how Lawless works with a community of scholars who deeply believe in the power of education and are working to change education by educating for change.

Photo: Michelle Bixby

Watch the ‘Perspective: Leaders at Penn State’ video featuring Dean Kim Lawless at https://youtu.be/JykiNYvXV3Y