Renowned Scholar Bob Pianta Receives 'Premier' Education Research Award

Bob Pianta, Batten Bicentennial Professor of Early Childhood Education and former dean of the UVA School of Education and Human Development, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Contributions to Research in Education Award by the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

According to AERA, the award is "the premier acknowledgment of outstanding achievement and success in education research. Its purpose is to publicize, motivate, encourage, and suggest models for education research at its best." Announcing the award, they declared Pianta “a major force in educational research as an internationally recognized pre-eminent scholar of early childhood education.”

“I am honored and grateful to have been considered for this award,” Pianta said. “Receiving this is the product of the teamwork and dedication of researchers and staff, the participation of our partners in the field, and the generous efforts of many colleagues. It is very gratifying that our work has been helpful to so many educators and scholars around the world and it is exciting to see these ideas take hold in so many ways.”

Pianta has spent nearly 40 years on the faculty at UVA EHD, founding the school’s Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) in 2005 and serving as dean from 2007-2022. 

During his tenure, he advanced research measuring teacher-student relationships and their impact on students' learning and development. He led the research and development of a suite of tools designed to improve teachers' interactions with their students, including the Classroom Assessment Scoring System and MyTeachingPartner.

The recipient of numerous honors, Pianta is a member of the National Academy of Education and an AERA Fellow. 

"Bob Pianta’s pioneering research on student-teacher interactions has transformed classrooms across the country and around the world,” said Stephanie Rowley, dean of the UVA School of Education and Human Development. “This well-deserved award is a fitting tribute—one that recognizes the depth and influence of his scholarship. We are thrilled to celebrate him."

Founded in 1916, AERA is the nation’s largest interdisciplinary research society working to advance knowledge and scholarly inquiry in education and learning. 

Pianta will receive the 2025 Distinguished Contributions to Research in Education Award, along with other award winners, later this month at the 2025 AERA Annual Meeting.

“We are pleased to present the 2025 awards to this commendable and exemplary group of education scholars and champions,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “They have contributed tremendously to education research, across all career stages and fields, and continue to make a difference in the lives of students and educators.”