KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 15, 2025

Kennesaw State University professor Sohyun An received the Mid-Career Award from the American Education Research Association (AERA), the nation’s largest and most prestigious organization dedicated to advancing rigorous educational research.

The award from AERA’s Division K Teaching and Teacher Education honors an outstanding mid-career researcher, 10 to 16 years post-doctorate, whose body of work addresses critical issues in teaching or teacher education. Recipients are evaluated on the impact and trajectory of research, contributions to advancing knowledge in the field, commitment to justice for students, educators, and communities, and overall scholarly excellence.

An’s research centers on K-12 Asian American Studies and social studies education.

“Receiving the 2025 Mid-Career Award from AERA Division K is a deeply humbling and meaningful honor,” said An, a professor in the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education in the Bagwell College of Education. “I see it not as an individual achievement, but as a recognition of the collective efforts of educators, scholars, and community advocates working toward equity and justice in teaching and teacher education.”

An has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and books, and co-authored “Teaching Asian America in Elementary Classrooms” with Noreen Naseem Rodríguez and Esther June Kim. Beyond academia, she has shaped public understanding of K-12 Asian American Studies through contributions to Smithsonian and PBS curriculum projects, and her research has been cited in CNN, Time, The New York Times, Reuters, Vox, and USA Today.

An is also a co-principal investigator of a groundbreaking research project on the K-12 Asian American Studies movement, funded by the Spencer Foundation through its prestigious $3.5 million Transformative Research Grant.

Prior to receiving the Mid-Career Award, An earned several AERA awards, including the 2024 Innovations in Research on Equity and Social Justice in Teaching and Teacher Education Award, the 2022 Distinguished Researcher Award, and the 2023 Outstanding Paper Award. She also earned the 2023 Distinguished Professor Award from KSU.

“Dr. An’s contribution to the field of educational research is tremendous,” said Adrian Epps, dean of the Bagwell College. “It is an honor to have her on our esteemed faculty. This award is well-deserved.”

– Story by Amber Perry

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.