The National Academy of Education (NAEd), in collaboration with the Spencer Foundation, has named Dr. Christopher Thomas as a recipient of the 2025 NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship. This distinguished fellowship supports early-career researchers whose work advances understanding of education and learning.
Dr. Thomas’s project, titled “The Nurseries of Democracy: Education for Citizenship and the First Amendment Rights of Young Students,” explores how schools cultivate civic identity and constitutional understanding among young learners. His research examines the intersection of educational policy, classroom practice, and students’ First Amendment rights, offering critical insights into how democratic values are nurtured in early education. Funding from the NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship, along with professional development and mentorship will be used to advance this project over the next year.
For more information about Dr. Thomas and the other awardees, visit: https://naeducation.org/current-naed-spencer-postdoctoral-fellows/