Catherine Bradshaw Selected as 2025 AERA Fellow

Catherine P. Bradshaw, a University Professor and senior associate dean at the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development, has been selected as a 2025 AERA Fellow.

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. The AERA Fellows Program honors scholars for their exceptional contributions to, and excellence in, education research.

Nominated by their peers, 29 Fellows were selected this year. They will be inducted during a ceremony at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Denver on April 24. 

“I am deeply honored to be named a 2025 AERA Fellow,” Bradshaw said. “This recognition reflects the incredible support and collaboration I've received from my colleagues at the University of Virginia and beyond. I am continuously grateful for the opportunity to contribute to meaningful research and to work alongside so many inspiring and talented individuals.”

Bradshaw is a leading national expert on bullying and school climate, the development of aggressive behavior, and school-based prevention of behavioral and mental health problems. She has led more than 10 federally funded randomized trials of school-based prevention programs and has received more than $50 million in research grants as a PI or Co-PI from agencies including the Institute of Education Sciences, NIH, CDC, and NIJ. She is the co-director of the $10 million IES-funded National Center for Rural School Mental Health.

“The 2025 AERA Fellows join a brilliant group of scholars, and they are most deserving of this honor,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “Their significant contributions to the education research field demonstrate the highest standards of academic excellence and scholarship.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate Catherine and this well-deserved recognition of her contributions to education research,” said Stephanie Rowley, dean of the UVA School of Education and Human Development. “Her pioneering work in school-based prevention programs and her dedication to improving school climate have had a lasting impact on the field, and we are fortunate to have her as a valued member of our academic community.”