A Florida State University professor at the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (Anne’s College) has been chosen as one of 34 exemplary scholars for the 2026 class of American Educational Research Association (AERA) Fellows.
Shouping Hu, the Lou & Elizabeth Bender Endowed Professor, earned selection to the AERA Fellows Program that honors scholars for their exceptional contributions to, and for excellence in, education research. The 2026 Fellows were selected by the Fellows Committee and approved by the AERA Council, the association’s elected governing body.
Hu will be inducted alongside his cohort during a ceremony at the 2026 Annual Meeting in Los Angeles on April 9.
“Being named an AERA Fellow is a tremendous honor,” Hu said. “This recognition reflects the collective impact of collaborative research focused on improving postsecondary student success, and I am excited to continue this work as new opportunities emerge in the age of artificial intelligence.”
“This recognition reflects the collective impact of collaborative research focused on improving postsecondary student success, and I am excited to continue this work as new opportunities emerge in the age of artificial intelligence.”
– Shouping Hu, Lou & Elizabeth Bender Endowed Professor
The AERA is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.
Hu is the founding director of the Center for Postsecondary Success (CPS) at FSU and serves as the co-director of the Collaborative Lab for the Advancement of Student Success (CLASS). His research interest examines issues related to postsecondary readiness, outcomes and success.
Throughout his career, Hu has published more than 100 journal articles and book chapters on his areas of research – authoring five books. He has become a leading expert on the role of artificial intelligence in higher education and the future of higher education in a changing world.
“Dr. Hu’s selection as an AERA Fellow is a well-deserved recognition of his relentless dedication to advancing postsecondary student success,” said Damon Andrew, dean of Anne’s College. “Through his leadership with the Center for Postsecondary Success and his prolific, forward-thinking research, he continually elevates the standard of scholarly excellence here at FSU Anne’s College. We are incredibly proud to celebrate this prestigious milestone with him.”
Hu joins a class that is the 18th group to be inducted into the AERA Fellows Program, which was established in 2007 to emphasize to new scholars the importance of sustained research excellence in the field.
AERA’s more than 25,000 members are faculty, researchers, graduate students and other distinguished professionals with rich and diverse expertise in education research. They work in a range of settings from universities and other academic institutions to research institutes, federal and state agencies, school systems, testing companies and nonprofit organizations.
For more information on AERA, visit aera.net.
For more information on Anne’s College and its top-ranked programs in education, visit annescollege.fsu.edu.