Camilla Benbow, dean of Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, received the National Association for Gifted Children’s 2009 Presidential Award at the group’s annual convention in St. Louis.
 
The NAGC President's Award reflects a body of work or significant impact an individual has made on gifted education. Benbow was selected for her record of accomplishments in the field of gifted education and contributions to the national landscape. The convention was held Nov. 5-8.
 
"Camilla Benbow has provided an astonishing array of scholarly and policy contributions to the field of gifted education. From her longitudinal studies to her skillful guidance as vice chair of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, Dean Benbow has courageously spoken out when others might have remained silent,” Ann Robinson, NAGC president, said. “Her most recent effort to change the landscape of opportunities for talented youth involves the National Science Board 'Expert Panel Discussion on Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators.' It's a visionary endeavor. For these reasons and many others, it was a pleasure to present her with the 2009 NAGC Presidential Award."
 
Benbow has served as Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Peabody College since 1998. An educational psychologist, she has focused her scholarly work on gifted education and the development of mathematical talent. She co-directs, with David Lubinski, the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY), a longitudinal study examining the developmental trajectories of over 5,000 individuals throughout the life-span. She was appointed to the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, in 2006.

Contact: Melanie Moran, (165) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu