CEC-DR Council for Exceptional Children Division of Research

Dr. Frank Symons has been named the recipient of the 2006 Distinguished Early Career Research Award presented by the CEC Division for Research. This award is given in recognition of the critical role of research to both current practice in and the future of the field of Special Education. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in special education, in basic and/or applied research, within the first 10 years following receipt of the doctoral degree. The award, co sponsored by the Donald D. Hammill Foundation, includes $1000 presented at the 2006 DR reception at the CEC Annual Convention and an invited presentation at CEC the following year. Previous recipients of this award include: Michael Wehmeyer, Ron Nelson, Patricia Mathes, Rollanda OConnor, Batya Elbaum, Terrance Scott, and Kathleen Lane.

Dr. Symons received his doctoral degree in Special Education from Vanderbilt University in 1996. He was a Research Scientist and Research Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1997-2000, and subsequently accepted a faculty position at the University of Minnesota. Awarded tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in 2003, he was appointed Coordinator of the Special Education Program in 2005. In addition, he is a faculty associate in centers within the University of Minnesota that range from the Center for Early Education and Development to the Center for Neurobehavioral Development.

Three related themes are prevalent in Dr. Symons research: self-injurious/stereotypic behavior, individuals with developmental disabilities, and observational methods. Research conducted by Dr. Symons and his colleagues has focused on such applied educational issues as classroom engagement, family perceptions and diagnosis, and teacher-student interactions. He and his colleagues have, however, also addressed neuroscience and biomedical issues that have applied and clinical implications for students with severe developmental disabilities, such as psychopharmacological treatment and effects on behavior, the experience of pain by individuals who engage in self-injury, and neuroscience correlates for specific developmental disabilities such as fragile X syndrome. In addition, Dr. Symons has continued his scholarly interest and contributions to the development and use of observational and behavioral assessment methodology to address educational, behavioral, and biomedical questions.

Dr. Symons is the author or co-author of 41 peer-reviewed publications, serving as first author on 22 of them. The journals in which his has published include the American Journal of Mental Retardation, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Journal of Special Education, American Psychologist, and Behavior Disorders. In addition, Dr. Symons has been the author or co-author of 11 book chapters and co-editor of four books. Currently, Dr. Symons work is supported by five externally funded grants that have a total funding of $5,733,000. Dr. Symonss work is methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary, and scientifically rigorous. Our field is indebted to Dr. Symons for putting a human face to the pain of self-injury, while looking into the mechanisms that underlie its cause.