UW–Madison’s Mollie McQuillan has been awarded the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Division L. This award recognizes a scholar whose initial career (the first seven years past the receipt of the doctorate) shows a high level of productivity and research excellence.
McQuillan is an assistant professor with the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. Her research examines the intersection of educational policy, leadership, school climates, and the health of LGBTQ+ and other gender-expansive people in PK-12 schools.
The 12 divisions of AERA are organized to represent major scholarly or scientific areas within education research that add to the field and the association as determined by the AERA Council. AERA’s Division L is focused on educational politics and policy.
McQuillan received the award on Thursday, April 24, during the Division L Business Meeting at the 2025 AERA Annual Meeting in Denver.