Early Career Research Award Recipients

Batya Elbaum

The Division for Research (DR) in the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is pleased to announce its selection of Dr. Batya Elbaum as the recipient of the fifth annual Distinguished Early Career Research Award. This award, sponsored by the Donald D. Hammill Foundation, was established by the Division for Research to recognize individuals who have made outstanding scientific contributions in special education within the first 10 years following receipt of the doctoral degree.

Dr. Elbaum is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Teaching and Learning and Psychology at the University of Miami. Dr. Elbaum earned her bachelor degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison In French and a Master of Arts degree In Romance Languages and Linguistics from UCLA. Subsequently she played a leadership role in second language programs at the University of California-Irvine, the University of Southern California, and the University of Utah. After receiving her MS and PhD degrees in Psychology at the University of Utah, Dr. Elbaum moved to the University of Miami as a Research Associate. Since joining the faculty at the University of Miami in 1997, Dr. Elbaum has served as the director or principal investigator on eleven state and federal grants totaling over 4 million dollars.

She has made important research contributions on the self-concept of students with learning disabilities and reading instruction for students with and without reading disabilities. Dr. Elbaum has published her findings widely and in some of the most highly regarded journals in education, such as Exceptional Children and the Journal of Educational Psychology.

DR s distinguished award committee included Drs. Karen Harris (U. of Maryland, co-chair), Lynn Fuchs (Vanderbilt University), Martin Kaufman (U. of Oregon, co-chair), Donald MacMillan (U. of California, Riverside), and Sam Odom (Indiana U.). In making their selection after reviewing a field of superb nominees, the committee noted the overall quality and integrity of Dr. Elbaum's work, citing its tremendous impact on legislation, practice, policy as well as on current and future research in [special education]. In her nomination, leaders in the field of special education research noted that Dr. Elbaum's work "exemplified scientific rigor in design, implementation and reporting of research." Moreover, they stated that her work had the highly desirable qualities of "persistent efforts to ensure that research findings are taken into consideration at the level of both instructional practice and policy-making; and a commitment to maximally involving critical stakeholders, especially parents, students with disabilities, and teachers in the process of improving special education services." Beyond her academic work, Dr. Elbaum has been a key contributor to reshaping systems policies in Florida and nationally. According to Dr. Chard, President of DR, "Dr. Elbaum's meticulous data analysis, thoughtful interpretations, and clear, concise writing regarding complex social and instructional issues is exceptional."