Congratulations to Sam Odom, PhD, a senior research scientist at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) for being awarded the Kaufman-Hallahan-Pullen Distinguished Researcher Award.

This award, which is conferred by the Division for Research of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC-DR), recognizes individuals or research teams whose research has resulted in more effective services or education for exceptional individuals. Recipients of this award are recognized for both the creation of a research base and the work done to translate this research into practice.

“This award is indeed a great honor for me." says Odom. "It reflects recognition of not only my work but that of my collaborators, many of which having been at FPG when the research was and is still being conducted. Across the years, FPG has been an essential support for this work.”

The Kauffman-Hallahan-Pullen Distinguished Researcher Award is funded through earnings of the Handbook of Special Education, edited by James Kauffman, Daniel Hallahan, and Paige Pullen and published by Routledge. The award, which is co-sponsored by Routledge Press, will be formally presented at the 2023 CEC Convention in Louisville, Kentucky in March.

The selection committee received many high-quality nominations and were extremely impressed with Odom’s many accomplishments.

Upon learning about the award, Odom shared, “This award is indeed a great honor for me. It reflects recognition of not only my work but that of my collaborators, many of which having been at FPG when the research was and is still being conducted. Across the years, FPG has been an essential support for this work.”