UPDATED
President Obama this morning named testing researcher Roy Levy as the only education-related winner of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers. The award, the highest federal honor for young scientists, is given for “innovative research at the frontiers of science ... and a commitment to community service.”
Levy, an assistant professor of school, social, and family dynamics at Arizona State University in Tempe, is studying new models of assessment, including how test items are framed and the use of adaptive computerized testing.
According to the Institute of Education Sciences, Levy was chosen for the award based on “contributions toward the development of new psychometric models and methods to support the next generation of complex assessments, and for his ongoing national and international service in support of measurement development to inform career pathway decisions for students around the world.”
Levy was one of 94 researchers honored this year. “It is inspiring to see the innovative work being done by these scientists and engineers as they ramp up their careers—careers that I know will be not only personally rewarding but also invaluable to the nation,” President Obama said in a statement on the awards. “That so many of them are also devoting time to mentoring and other forms of community service speaks volumes about their potential for leadership, not only as scientists but as model citizens.”
Previous education recipients are: Jennifer Cromley of Temple University, Catherine Bradshaw of Johns Hopkins University, Katherine A. Rawson of Kent State University, Nonie Lesaux of the Harvard School of Education, Nicole McNeil of the University of Notre Dame, Gregory Fabiano of the University at Buffalo, Laura Justice of Ohio State University, and Carol Connor of Florida State University.