VANCOUVER, Wash. – The best part of research for faculty member Rick Sawyer is the way it positively affects others. He will promote this emphasis as a newly appointed senior improvement research fellow with the national Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED).
Sawyer is an associate professor in the College of Education at Washington State University Vancouver. He is a leader of the WSU doctor of education in teacher leadership program. He will continue at WSU while expanding his opportunities to publish, lead, teach colleagues and serve at the national level.
“The most rewarding thing is contributing to change and improving practice and lives,” he said. “As Kurt Lewin – the father of action research – said a number of years ago, ‘Research that produces nothing but books will not suffice.’ It’s the change process inherent in some forms of research that I find most meaningful.”
Sawyer was selected as a fellow because of his expertise in research methodology, excellence in teaching and willingness to learn and teach improvement science, said Phyllis Erdman, associate dean for academic affairs in the college.
“This is such a well-deserved honor,” colleague June Canty said. “Rick has been the driving force behind the WSU doctor of education in teacher leadership program since its inception. His efforts have helped it develop into the high-quality program we see today.”