The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) has named Colleen Conway, a professor at the University of Michigan, as the twentieth recipient of the 2026 Senior Researcher Award. PR Newswire reported that the NAfME Society for Research in Music Education selected Conway to honor her significant, long-term scholarship within the field. She is scheduled to receive the distinction on October 2 during the biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference in Long Beach, California.
NAfME President Cecil Adderley praised Conway’s illustrious career in preparing future educators and advancing the profession through impactful research findings. Colleagues highlighted her pivotal role in establishing qualitative research as an essential mode of inquiry. Peter Miksza from Indiana University noted her extensive record of peer-reviewed articles covering topics such as teacher preparation, mentoring, and identity development. Phillip M. Hash added that citation data from 2025 ranked Conway as the eighth most cited international researcher in music education for 2024.
Conway holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Teachers College, Columbia University. Her teaching experience spans public schools in New York and university-level instruction since 1995. Dr. John Eros credited her with revitalizing the doctoral program at the University of Michigan, while Ann Marie Stanley described her as a tireless mentor known for genuine professional connections. The award recognizes her broad influence on journals, conference presentations, and the leaders she has mentored across the United States and abroad.
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