Overview
The Rebecca L. Sandak Young Investigator Award, established in 2008, honors the memory of Rebecca Sandak, whose research goals and ideas were left unrealized by her untimely passing. This award recognizes a gifted early-career researcher who demonstrates exceptional scholarly achievement, a clear and accelerating trajectory of outstanding promise, and a sincere dedication to the field of reading research.
Recipients will have established a record of high-quality, potentially influential scholarship appropriate to their career stage. They will show clear evidence of an upward research trajectory marked by originality, emerging independence, and growing impact. In addition, honorees will demonstrate meaningful commitment to the broader reading research community through professional engagement, service or advocacy, and a clear dedication to advancing the field.
Award Benefits
This award is designed to support the award recipient's attendance and presentation of a paper at SSSR 2027. Award recipients will receive the following:
- One year’s SSSR membership
- Complimentary conference registration fee
- Complimentary conference social-networking dinner entry
Eligibility
Applicants must be doctoral students, postdocs, faculty, lecturers, or research scientists who have received their PhD within the last five years, i.e., the applicant’s PhD must have been awarded no earlier than July of the fifth calendar year prior to the current year. Consideration will be given for parental or medical leave, if requested.
- Applicants must have an any type of paper accepted for the 2027 conference.
- Applicants must attend the conference and present their spoken or interactive paper.
Application Materials and Procedure
Applicants or individuals nominating on an applicant’s behalf should submit the following materials in PDF format to scientificstudy.reading@gmail.com by Friday, January 22, 2027:
- A 1-page nomination letter that summarizes the applicant’s research and makes the case for the nominee’s promise and dedication to the field of reading research (single spaced with 1-inch margins and 11-point font size)
- The nominee’s CV
Past Award Winners
2026 award winner: Caroline Richter
2025 award winners: Ye Shen & Marianne Rice
2024 award winners: Ashley Edwards, Rebecca Marks
2023 award winner: Signy Wegener
2022 award winner: Alida Hudson
2021 award winners: Mercedes Spencer and Annie Yixun Li
2020 award winners: Marc Goodrich and Elizabeth Stevens
2019 award winner: Florina Erbeli
2018 award winner: Jamie Quinn
2017 award winner: Laura Steacy
2016 award winner: Maaike Vandermosten
2015 award winners: Elsje van Bergen and Elizabeth Tighe
2014 award winners: Suzanne Adlof and Sara Hart
2013 award winner: Fabienne Chetail
2012 award winner: Elizabeth Norton
2011 award winners: Yaacov Petscher and Jennifer Gilbert
2010 award winner: Eva Marinus
2009 award winner: Rebecca Betjemann
2008 award winner: Shelley Xiuli Tong