Dr. Christopher Martell elected Program Chair of AERA Social Studies Research SIG
Dr. Christopher Martell, Clinical Assistant Professor and Program Director of Social Studies Education, was elected to serve as Program Chair of the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Social Studies Research Special Interest Group (SIG).
The Social Studies Research SIG’s mission states that its goal is to “initiate, exchange, and advance research relevant to social studies education found in P-12 schools and classrooms with students, teachers, and administrators; in teacher education programs with teacher candidates, practicing teachers, school administrators, and teacher educators; and in relationship to active citizenship in families, communities, society, and policymakers.” The Social Studies Research SIG is one of AERA’s largest and it receives hundreds of paper submissions each year.
“The membership of the Social Studies SIG includes most of my university colleagues across the field of social studies education,” Dr. Martell said, “so it was a real honor to be elected Program Chair– and eventually Chair– by them.”
He added that the SIG has always been a place for him to connect with other teacher educators and researchers in his field.
“I remember when I was a doctoral student first attending the SIG Business Meeting and someone who I consider to be one of the ‘big names’ in our field welcomed me there and asked all about my work,” Dr. Martell said. “It was like meeting a social studies rock star, but it is also where I realized that I am now part of this group.”
Dr. Martell will oversee the conference paper submissions, peer review process, and assemble the SIG’s final program schedule. His one-year term as Program Chair will begin after the conclusion of the 2017 Annual Meeting later this month. At the conclusion of next year’s AERA Annual Meeting, Dr. Martell will assume responsibility as the SIG’s Chair. In preparation for his current role, he served as Assistant Program Chair over the past year.
“I hope I can continue the SIG’s tradition of putting together a strong program of cutting edge research,” Dr. Martell said, “but also be a welcoming place that is for social studies researchers across methodologies and perspectives, and especially new scholars in our field.”
