Dr. Sherry Southerland was selected to receive the NARST 2025 Distinguished Contributions to Science Education through Research Award (DCRA). This is the highest award that NARST bestows upon its members, which recognizes the superior caliber of their professional accomplishments.

Over the years, Dr. Southerland has made significant contributions to advancing our understanding of unintended consequences of educational policies for the way science is taught and learned in schools. Her work also sheds light on how to make science learning experiences more equitable for all learners including those students from historically marginalized communities. Her research has been widely published and frequently cited in top-tier international journals both in science and science education. She is also an outstanding mentor for people from schools, school districts, and she has mentored many doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows who are currently distinguished scholars in the field. In addition, she demonstrates her leadership at the international level as the two-term co-editor-in-chief of Science Education, published for over 100 years, making it a pioneer in featuring consequential scholarship that illuminates and challenges our understanding of science teaching and learning.

In recognition of the profound impact of her ongoing scholarship on science education research and practice, her exceptional leadership and mentorship, and her dedicated service to leading journals, Dr. Sherry Southerland is a most deserving recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Contributions to Science Education through Research Award.