School of Education & Human Sciences to honor 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences will honor alumnus Stephen W. Smith with one of its top awards this spring.
Smith will be recognized with the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award on Saturday, May 13 at the school’s spring convocation ceremony at Allen Fieldhouse.
Smith is a professor in the Special Education program at the University of Florida (UF), where he has served in his role since 1989. His research focuses on effective behavioral prevention strategies in educational settings, executive function, and the self-regulation of behavior (goal directed effortful control of thought, action, emotion), issues related to aggression and violence in schools, and understanding verbal aggression of students with EBD.
Prior to receiving his Ph.D. in special education from KU in 1989, Smith earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Missouri State University, and was a teacher of special education students for eight years.
While at UF, Smith has received three teaching awards, a University Research Award, and has served twice as a UF Distinguished Research Professor. For 2013-2014, he was one of 6 recipients of a university-wide Doctoral Mentoring Award for outstanding work with doctoral students. He was the Irving & Rose Fein Endowed Professor from 2012-2015. Most recently, Smith was awarded the 2018 Distinguished Researcher Award from the American Education Research Association, Special Education special interest group. Smith is a Panel Scientist for the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, and is on the Editorial Board of numerous professional journals in education and special education.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards are the highest honor the School of Education and Human Sciences bestows upon its alumni. Award recipients demonstrate ongoing, exceptional professional, academic or research achievement and contribution to the community at the local, state, national or international levels.