Rachel U. Mun, College of Education assistant professor and program steward for the master's concentration in gifted and talented education, has been awarded the 2017 National Association for Gifted Children Dissertation Award. She won for a shortened version of her dissertation, "Parental expectations for Asian Americans who entered college early: Influences on their academic and career decision-making." She will give a special session at the National Association for Gifted Children convention this fall.

Mun describes her research as an intersection between gifted education, mental health and immigrant issues. For the last five years, her research has focused on social and emotional development, immigrants and culturally responsible practices, parental influences, career decision-making and educational access for special populations of gifted learners, using primarily mixed and qualitative methods.

"It is a great honor and privilege to receive this dissertation award," she says.