Awards and Recognition
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View our awards in recognition of our experts.
Since 1946, AIR has been building bridges between knowledge and action by conducting research, providing technical assistance, and informing policy.
Our mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world begins with our people and projects.
Organizations have recognized this by honoring our expertise, commitment to corporate social responsibility, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2024
Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion
AIR was recognized as a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” by the Disability Equality Index for three consecutive years. The Disability Equity Index is a nationwide benchmarking tool that measures how businesses are advancing workplace inclusion and assessing areas of growth and improvement to make a positive impact.
Seramount Honors AIR for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
AIR has been named to Seramount’s Inclusion Index list, which recognizes companies that are leading the way in fostering diverse and inclusive work environments. This is the second consecutive year that AIR has earned the designation for its continued progress in retaining and developing a diverse workforce.
AIR Named to Seramount’s 2024 Best Companies for Multicultural Women
AIR has been named to Seramount’s “Best Companies for Multicultural Women” list, which recognizes employers that are championing policies and programs that foster career advancement for women of diverse backgrounds. This is the fourth year AIR has earned the designation, reflecting the institution’s commitment to cultivating an inclusive workforce.
2023
Diversity MBA’s “50 Out Front: Best Places to Work for Women and Diverse Managers"
AIR ranked tenth among employers that are creating meaningful career opportunities for women and people of color, up from 15 in 2022. Diversity MBA, a national leadership organization that integrates diversity and inclusion with talent management, has recognized AIR’s continued progress to retaining and developing a diverse workforce.
Seramount Top 75 Companies for Executive Women
AIR has been named one of the “Top 75 Companies for Executive Women” by Seramount for the third consecutive year. The designation recognizes companies’ commitment and support of women’s advancement, with a focus on recruitment and retention, greater equity in pay, and succession planning at the senior-most levels.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity Awards
AIR was recognized alongside Fortune 500 companies in Ragan Communications and PR Daily’s annual list as a finalist, which honors organizations that are instrumental in positively affecting communities. AIR’s Giving Tuesday campaign earned a spot as a finalist.
Social Impact
2024
AIR has been honored with an Anthem Award for how it shared the work of the AIR Opportunity Fund, a $225 million effort dedicated to addressing systemic barriers and creating pathways to opportunity in communities in the U.S and around the world. The Anthem Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, recognizes innovation in the work of mission-driven organizations committed to amplifying social impact causes that spark global change.
AIR has won two Anthem Awards for its work operating the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center’s (MSKTC), which translates health information into easy-to-understand language and formats for people living with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and burn injury and their families and caregivers.
Communications and Design
2024
Ragan’s Employee Communications Awards
AIR Weekly, AIR’s internal employee newsletter, has been named a finalist in Ragan Communications and PR Daily's 2024 Employee Communications Awards. The award recognizes outstanding internal communications campaigns, and shines a spotlight on companies that excel in fostering effective engagement and collaboration.
AIR was recently named a winner of the 2024 Astrid Awards by MerComm, an international awards organization dedicated to defining the standards of excellence in communications. The AIR-operated Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center’s (MSKTC)’s website won silver recognition in website redesign.
2023
AIR won three MarCom Awards in 2024, which recognizes excellence in marketing and communication. The AIR Opportunity Fund’s annual report received platinum recognition for exceptional publication design, and an honorable mention for its work advancing health equity for Afghan refugees. The time-lapse video of Blanchie Kelley, AIR retired chief of staff and assistant secretary to the Board of Directors, won gold in design.
2022
dotComm Awards
AIR was named a winner of the 2022 dotCOMM Awards, honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. AIR's website received the gold award for exceptional website redesign among more than 2,500 entries.
AIR Experts
2024
AIR President and CEO Jessica Heppen has been named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s 500 Most Influential People in Washington, D.C. for 2024. The annual list highlights leading experts and advocates outside the government who are playing instrumental roles in shaping policy reform.
AIR's Cecilia Newman Honored as Emerging DEI Leader by Diversity MBA Media
Cecilia Newman, senior program manager in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and vice chair of the DEI Council at AIR, is being recognized by Diversity MBA Media for making strong contributions to advance equity through leadership and service.
AIR Workforce Experts Win Innovations in Assessment Award
Workforce experts from AIR, along with researchers from American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), were honored with the 2024 Innovations in Assessment Award for the development and application of a groundbreaking methodology for analyzing the accounting profession.
AIR’s Chief DEI Officer was recognized as a pioneer and change maker in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
AIR Institute Fellows Doug and Lynn Fuchs Receive Council for Exceptional Children Leadership Award
The Council for Exceptional Children Convention (CEC’s) Division for Learning Disabilities presented the Jeannette Fleischner Career Leadership Award to AIR Institute Fellows Doug Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs for their outstanding contributions to the field of special education. The award recognizes individuals who have advanced the field of learning disabilities through direct services, policy development, community service, research, or organizational leadership throughout their careers.
2022
Top Women in Communications Award from Ragan PR and PR Daily
AIR Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Makini Nyanteh received the Top Women in Communications Award. Nyanteh was recognized in the “Bridge Builder” category for her ability to bring people together and work in pursuit of AIR’s mission.
AIR Experts Recognized for 2021 JREE Outstanding Article Award
The work of five AIR experts (Mengli Song, Andrew J. Wayne, Michael S. Garet, Seth Brown, and Jordan Rickles) gained recognition with the 2021 Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness (JREE) Outstanding Article award for their article, Impact of Providing Teachers and Principals with Performance Feedback on Their Practice and Student Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale, Randomized Experiment.
Roddy Theobald Wins the 2022 AEFP Early Career Award
In 2022, Roddy Theobald was the recipient of the Early Career award from the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP). Each year, AEFP recognizes one outstanding early career scholar whose research makes a significant contribution to the field of education finance and policy.
2021
Joshua Polanin Receives Campbell Collaboration's Robert Boruch Award
Joshua R. Polanin won the Robert Boruch Award for Distinctive Contributions to Research that Informs Public Policy from the Campbell Collaboration. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles; 25 presented the results from a systematic review and meta-analysis.
AIR Institute Fellows Doug and Lynn Fuchs Receive McGraw Prize in Education
AIR Institute Fellows Doug Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs were awarded the 2021 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and the McGraw Family Foundation. The Fuchs helped establish Data-Based Individualization as one of the most respected approaches to instructing students with serious learning disabilities.