Recognizing excellence in scholarship and engagement
Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation recently recognized seven faculty members for their involvement in scholarship, teaching and community building. Their work is representative of the college’s many subject mater experts whose shared knowledge is driving action and impact across society.
The seven individuals listed below have influenced the field of multimodal literacy, improved social outcomes for autistic individuals and contributed to educational policy development and partnerships on a global scale. They have advanced state policies, launched an early childhood conference and used active learning strategies in their own classrooms. Learn more about their contributions.
Excellence in Research Achievement
Frank Serafini is a professor of literacy education and children's literature. He is also an award-winning children's picturebook author and illustrator who received the Mayhill Arbuthnot Award from the International Literacy Association as the 2014 Distinguished Professor of Children's Literature. He is being recognized for his sustained research excellence which has significantly influenced the fields of multimodal literacy, children's literature and visual semiotics. In addition to his extensive publication record in top-tier outlets, he has been honored with prestigious awards and invited to present keynote addresses at international conferences. Read more about Serafini’s work.
Outstanding Early Career Scholar
Jesse Fleming is an assistant professor of special education. His research is focused on reducing exclusionary and discriminatory discipline in K–12 schools for students with disabilities, improving social and friendship outcomes for autistic individuals, and improving the transparency and accessibility of special education research through the application of open science practices. Before working at ASU, he worked as a general education teacher, special education teacher, and instructional coach. He is being recognized for his impact on the field of special education.. Read more about Fleming’s work.
Excellence in Global Impact
Maria Teresa Tatto is professor of comparative education, and she serves as director of the MEd in Global Education. She is a Fellow of the American Education Research Association, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Oxford Department of Education, in England. Her scholarship is characterized by the use of international comparative frameworks to study education policy and its impact on education systems. She is recognized for her research and initiatives that have informed policy development, strengthened teacher education systems and inspired continued engagement with educational equity on a global scale. Read more about Tatto’s work.
Excellence in Global Impact
Molly Ott is an associate professor, and her research, teaching, and service focus on higher and postsecondary education. She is recognized for her sustained academic collaboration in Ethiopia, anchored by institutional and individual partnerships. As principal investigator of a USAID project she engaged in applied research with Ethiopian and Ethiopian-American co-PIs that resulted in peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers. She has also established and leads a formal ASU–Wollo University partnership that has resulted in the creation of interdisciplinary teams and research projects. Read more about Ott’s work.
Excellence in the Scholarship of Engagement
Daniel Liou is an associate professor of education leadership. As a community-based researcher and former school board president, Liou’s scholarship explores the sociological manifestations of expectations in the organization of classrooms, schools, and society, contextualizing educational practices in relational, curricular and institutional terms. He is recognized for his work as part of the Culturally Inclusive Practices Committee at the Arizona Department of Education where he was a lead author of the agency’s first culturally inclusive teaching guidelines. He also serves as a school board member and now board president of the Los Angeles College Prep Academy serving a low-income neighborhood in Southern California. Read more about Liou’s work.
Excellence in Community Engagement
April Boozer is a clinical associate professor, and an instructor for early childhood special education in undergraduate and graduate programs. Previously, she taught early childhood and elementary school. She uses her teaching experience and current research practices to help prepare pre-service teachers. She is being recognized for her work organizing the yearly MLFC online Early Childhood Conference which is offered at no-cost to practitioners. The conference creates an opportunity for information sharing and professional development that is accessible to a broad audience of early childhood practitioners. Read more about Boozer’s work.
Excellence in Teaching
Erika Flores is a clinical associate professor who is dedicated to making high-quality education accessible to all students. She has been actively involved in efforts at the local and state level to identify and retain highly qualified teachers in rural areas. At MLFC she has demonstrated a sustained record of excellence in teaching that is reflected in her above-average course evaluations. She uses active learning strategies, job-embedded projects, and universal design for learning to ensure that all students have access to meaningful and transformative learning experiences. Read more about Flores’ work.