Anne and John Daves Endowed Professor Sherry Southerland has been honored with the prestigious award given to members of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST).

During the NARST 98th Annual International Conference held in Washington, D.C., Southerland was acknowledged as the association’s honoree for the 2025 Distinguished Contributions to Science Education through Research Award.

As a faculty member in the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College), Southerland’s investigations target the understanding of elements that affect the enhancement of science proficiency among all pupils. She has made remarkable advancements in clarifying the unintended effects of educational policies regarding how science is taught and comprehended in educational settings.

Southerland’s research illuminates methodologies to enrich science learning opportunities for every type of learner. She examines students’ cognitive processing and emotional engagement with science, as well as the assessment of innovative science teaching strategies and instructor techniques that optimally enhance this growth among students.

A component of her research agenda involves investigating factors that shape teacher learning in relation to their beliefs about their students’ abilities and the ways these beliefs impact the effectiveness of ambitious science instructional practices.

Southerland has acted as an invaluable guide for numerous groups, encompassing schools, school districts, doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and beyond. She is a two-term co-editor-in-chief of Science Education, and her findings have been extensively published in various scientific journals.

NARST is an international organization devoted to enhancing science instruction and comprehension via research. Established in 1928, NARST has championed the exploration of research in science education and the dissemination of knowledge derived from such research. The primary objective of NARST is to enable all learners to attain scientific literacy.

To learn more about Anne’s College, visit annescollege.fsu.edu.

The article Florida State University professor receives significant science education award was originally published on Florida State University News.