Allison Dymnicki Wins AERA Division H Dissertation Award

Washington, D.C. – Allison Dymnicki, a researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), was recently awarded the American Education Research Association’s (AERA) Division H Research, Assessment, and Evaluation 2011 Outstanding Publication Dissertation Award first prize.

The AERA award is for a dissertation that addresses a study in applied research, evaluation, assessment, or accountability within a school/school district setting. Dymnick’s dissertation was titled, "The Relation of School Factors to Changes Associated with a Violence Prevention Program,” and had two major research aims. The first aim was to construct a psychometrically sound measure of school-level factors that influence the effectiveness of school-based violence prevention programs. The second aim was to analyze how that measure predicted student outcomes associated with the Multisite Violence Prevention Project.

Dymnicki’s research findings indicated the importance of two climate variables: the quality of relationships among the principal, teachers, and students and the seriousness of school problems (e.g., problems with gangs or drug use). While the program produced limited impacts for students overall, there were positive impacts for program students in schools with more positive climates.

Dr. Dymnicki received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Psychology, Community Prevention & Research division.

About AIR
Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity. For more information, visit www.air.org.

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