2026 Scholars of Color in Education Early Career Contribution Award

• In Event: 2026 AERA Awards Ceremony and Luncheon

Abstract

The recipient of the 2026 Scholars of Color in Education Early Career Contribution Award is Dr. Terrell R. Morton. His scholarship at the intersection of educational psychology, STEM education, and critical theory has advanced significant understandings of the educational experiences of Black students and other racially minoritized youth in STEM settings. His interdisciplinary research examines how students’ intersectional identities inform engagement in postsecondary STEM education and reimagines how STEM learning environments can be centers of Black joy, resistance, and liberation. Dr. Morton is also a community-engaged scholar and collaborator, demonstrating equity-focused leadership within research and professional organizations and working across institutions to cultivate empowering STEM learning experiences for minoritized students.

Authors

• Terrell R Morton, University of Illinois at Chicago

• Laura E. Hernandez, Learning Policy Institute