UW–Madison’s Mariah Pol, a teaching faculty member in the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, has received the James E. Davis Early Career Scholar Award from the Social Science Education Consortium (SSEC). The award was presented during the organization’s 2026 Annual Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

As part of the honor, Pol presented her research, “Moving Beyond Silos: U.S. Teachers Learning Through Historical Sites and Community Dialogues in Northern Ireland,” during the conference’s Early Career Scholars session. This work explores how immersive international professional learning experiences can support teachers’ understandings of peace education.

Pol’s research will also be published as a chapter in the conference’s annual edited volume, “From Isolation to Integration: The Connective Power of Education.”

Pol’s scholarship focuses on teacher education, social studies education, and peace education. Reflecting on the recognition, she said, “I am honored to represent the UW–Madison School of Education through this international recognition and look forward to bringing these scholarly conversations and collaborations back into my teaching, research, and program leadership work.”