Special Education Scholar Receives Excellence Award

Nicholas Gage’s research to improve the education of students with special needs just got a boost.

Gage, an assistant professor of special education, was one of 10 faculty members from across campus selected to receive a UF Excellence Award for Assistant Professors.

Gage receives $5,000 to support his research, money that can be used for travel, equipment, books, graduate student stipends and other research-related expenses.

“I plan on using the funds to conduct three school-based classroom management research studies with my amazing doctoral students,” Gage said.

Awards quality, innovativeness of research

In announcing the awards, Provost Joseph Glover said a committee of two distinguished UF faculty members selected the winners based on the quality and innovativeness of their research; they also sought to balance the diverse intellectual streams the candidates represented.

Gage came to UF in August 2013 after earning a Ph.D. in special education from the University of Missouri.

Gage’s primary area of research is studying ways schools can develop better ways to support students with emotional or behavioral disorders.

“This award means a great deal as I was part of a university-wide pool of talented assistant professors in engineering, medicine, physics and other areas,” Gage said. “Being chosen really validates my work outside the College of Education.”

College of Education Dean Glenn Good said in his nomination letter that Gage has stood out as a scholar, instructor, mentor and colleague. He also noted that Gage has won two large federally funded grants in the past year and has “an exceptional scholarly publication record” with nine publications in the last two years and a total of 47 overall.

“Nick’s performance across all his endeavors—as a scholar, instructor, mentor and colleague—displays consistent exemplary performance that is the embodiment of the faculty for whom this award was created,” the dean said.