Dr. Alexandra Panos, an assistant professor of literacy studies at the USF College of Education, has
been awarded the USF Outstanding Research Achievement Award for her contributions to the field of literacy, addressing transdisciplinary challenges
such as climate change, school equity, and placemaking. Out of the 27 faculty members
selected for this honor, Panos was one of only two assistant professors to win, a
testament to her talent, dedication, and the impact of her work.
Panos' research agenda centers on providing learners with opportunities to explore
texts related to the climate crisis. It also examines the interplay between teachers'
and children's connections to place, the environment, and educational policy, and
how these factors influence the conception and implementation of literacy teaching
for addressing climate issues. In 2023, her contributions to this agenda resulted
in the publication of four high-impact, peer-reviewed journal articles, two book chapters,
three invited presentations, one international presentation, seven national presentations,
and participation in one state conference.
Her 2023 publications feature journal articles in the , , and , including co-authorship with community partners and practicing educators. These
works highlight her influence extending beyond educational research circles, reaching
literacy scholars and educators alike. She has also contributed to one of the most
esteemed book publishers, Routledge, which featured her chapters on teaching climate
change and fostering critical equity literacies.
Additionally, Panos' outstanding contributions have earned her a competitive 2023 Spencer Foundation Small Research Grant. This funding will aid her research on climate literacy instruction for English language
arts educators in Florida. Over the course of a year, the study will unite K-12 ELA
educators from Florida, engaging them in innovative and professional reading, writing,
and inquiry-based ecojustice education, all tailored to their specific goals and teaching
environments. She serves as the study's principal investigator, with two USF colleagues
as Co-PIs. In a related mixed methods study funded by a USF New Research Grant, Panos
utilized surveys and interviews to examine how Florida ELA teachers address climate
change in their classrooms.
Panos' influence extends far beyond her research and teaching roles. She actively
serves on the board of the local branch of the , where she spearheads educational outreach initiatives for urban centers in the Tampa
Bay region and regularly works at a local community center with elementary students alongside her PhD student Kristin Geren
on placemaking literacies practices. Additionally, she is the inaugural research
director for the at the University of Minnesota. In this role, she enhances visibility and fosters
connections within a burgeoning empirical research community dedicated to literacy
and the humanities in climate education.
Speaking on the long-term impact of her research, Panos said, 鈥淚 like to quote Octavia
Butler who once wrote that 鈥榯here is no end to what a living world demands of us.鈥�
On the scale of the earth and its climate and ecosystems, impact seems a tough thing
to describe. I do hope that the networks and relationships I seek to build in my scholarship
might help to make visible how educators and children navigate socioecological crisis
and ultimately to identify beneficial steps people might take to educate themselves
and one another in service of our collective futures.鈥�
In a nomination letter for this award, Dr. Elizabeth Shaunessy-Dedrick, Chair of the LLEEP department and a professor in the Exceptional Student Education
Program and coordinator of the Gifted Education Program, said, "Dr. Alexandra Panos'
research in 2023 reflects an innovative, responsive, and nuanced approach to literacy
scholarship as it relates intimately to the communities she serves. She takes a stance
on issues often considered beyond the bounds of literacy research and forges a unique
and prominent literacy scholarship pathway. The foundation for her nomination for
this award is not only in the products and audiences she reaches, but also for the
novel approach to literacy research she has undertaken. Engaging K-12 students, teachers,
and the community in her research efforts, Dr. Panos has woven a rich tapestry of
research in climate and ecojustice literacies, placemaking, and community engagement."
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