February 27, 2015

Jamie Callahan, EdD, clinical professor in the School of Educationl's MS in Human Resource Development program, was the recipient of the inaugural Laura L. Bierema Award for Excellence in Critical HRD.

“This award is so meaningful to me because it speaks not only to my identity as a scholar of research and teaching, but also as a citizen and person,” said Callahan. “As an HRD professional, I believe it’s my responsibility to have a commitment to all stakeholders of learning in organized spaces. This award suggests I’m making progress toward that goal!”

Presented at the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) International Research Conference in the Americas, the award honors a critical HRD scholar or practitioner who has demonstrated research and activism with impact in the field of HRD. The award aims to acknowledge those scholars and HRD professionals who actively challenge field and industry norms while advancing important social justice perspectives and principles.

“I believe that Jamie’s leadership roles have enabled her to profoundly impact the scope and legitimacy of the critical perspective within HRD,” said Dr. Julia Storberg-Walker, associate professor at the George Washington University. “Jamie’s contributions are exemplary and her sustained record of thought-provoking and cutting-edge research is remarkable as a scholar of HRD and, in particular, as a scholar of critical HRD.”

In addition to being director of the online master’s in Human Resource Development program, which is offered through Drexel’s School of Education, Callahan is a clinical professor. She teaches in the online master’s HRD program and online EdD in Educational Leadership and Management program that has a HRD concentration. She is also a professor for the on-campus PhD in Educational Leadership Development and Learning Technologies program that has a HRD concentration.

“As I reviewed Jamie’s work to prepare her nomination, I kept coming back to her role as editor of Human Resource Development Review, and how in that role she created a space for critical scholarship that wasn’t there before. I believe that Jamie’s body of work, and her role as editor of one of the core journals of the field, ultimately exemplifies one of the key attributes of my friend Laura Bierema, namely, having the power to wield change and having the courage to make a difference,” said Storberg-Walker.

Founded in 1993, AHRD is a global organization made up of, governed by, and created for the HRD scholarly community of academics and reflective practitioners. The Academy was formed to encourage systematic study of human resource development theories, processes, and practices; to disseminate information about HRD; to encourage the application of HRD research findings; and to provide opportunities for social interaction among individuals with scholarly and professional interests in HRD from multiple disciplines and from across the globe.