University of Miami School of Education Professors Walter G. Secada and Randall D. Penfield have been named American Educational Research Association (AERA) fellows in recognition of their exceptional scientific and scholarly contributions to the field through the development of research opportunities and settings.

The AERA Fellows are known both nationally and internationally for their outstanding contributions to education research. Through the Fellows Program, the association aims to convey its commitment to excellence in research and to underscore to new scholars the importance of sustained research contributions in the field.

Secada is senior associate dean at the School of Education. His research interests have included equity in education, mathematics education, bilingual education, school restructuring, professional development of teachers, student engagement, and reform. Recent publications include Conceptions of Equity in the Teaching of Science and (with Santiago Cueto) “Eficacia escolar en escuelas bilingües en Puno, Perú” [in Revista Electrónica Iberoamericana sobre Calidad, Eficacia y Cambio en Educación].

Penfield is a specialist in educational statistics and measurement. His research focuses on the development of statistical methodology for detecting bias in standardized tests and on the improvement of the statistical methodology used to estimate examinee proficiency in the context of large-scale testing. His research has led to numerous conference presentations and publications.

In announcing the new fellows, AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine applauded the researchers for their substantive and sustaining scholarship. “The Class of 2011 fellows continues this professional society’s strong commitment to sound and rigorous research on education and learning that advances knowledge and thereby serves the public good,” Levine said.

The fellows will be inducted on Saturday, April 9 during AERA’s 92nd Annual Meeting in New Orleans. It is the association’s expectation that fellows will be visibly engaged in important AERA programs and activities and that they will serve as models and mentors to the next generation of scholars long into the future for the field.