Four faculty members were honored with the University of Iowa College of Education Outstanding Research Awards at the spring faculty and staff meeting on Thursday, May 12.

Cassie Barnhardt: Mid-Career Outstanding Research Award

Cassie Barnhardt is an associate professor in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Barnhardt's research focuses on how universities contribute to democracy and civic life, domestically and internationally, through the lens of university governance, administration, and policy and politics.

Mary Cohen: Mid-Career Outstanding Research Award

Mary Cohen is an associate professor in Music Education with a joint position in the School of Music. She researches music-making and wellness with respect to prison contexts, writing and songwriting, and collaborative communities. Since 2009, she has led the Oakdale Prison Community Choir, comprised of men in custody in the Oakdale Prison and women and men from the community.

Katharine Broton: Early-Career Outstanding Research Award

Katharine Broton is an assistant professor in Higher Education and Student Affairs. Her research interests include sociology of education, social stratification, and education policy and is known for her work on basic needs insecurity among college students, including the recent book Food Insecurity on Campus: Action and Intervention.

Stacey McElroy-Heltzel: Early-Career Outstanding Research Award

Stacey McElroy-Heltzel is an assistant professor in Counseling Psychology.  Her research interests are in positive psychology, particularly humility, forgiveness, and religion/spirituality. She is also interested in measurement development and evaluation, and multicultural families.