Amy Pickard, Assistant Professor in Instructional Systems Technology, has won the CPAE Early Career Award from the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE).

Pickard said she was thrilled to receive the award, saying she was honored and pleased to be nominated by her peers in the field.

“Sometimes you never know if other folks are paying attention to your work, so it feels wonderful to be acknowledged for my scholarship,” she said. “It is especially appreciated as a junior scholar. Furthermore, researchers into adult literacy education often operate in the margins of adult education as a broader field, so this award feels in some ways like an invitation to connect, which I also appreciate.”

Pickard is currently exploring adult literacy learners’ experiences of remote education during the pandemic and is continuing her exploration of how federal policy informs state and local engagement in publicly-funded adult literacy initiatives.

The AAACE awards are bestowed upon deserving individuals and teams annually in recognition of outstanding leadership, service, knowledge, learners and practice in the field of adult education.