Independent Book Publishers Association Honors University of Kansas’ Barbara Kerr

Barbara A. Kerr, the Williamson Family Distinguished Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Kansas, received the Silver Medal for Education from the Independent Book Publishers Association. Professor Kerr was honored for the book Smart Girls in the 21st Century: Understanding Talented Girls and Women (Great Potential Press, 2014). She will share the prize with co-author Robyn McKay, an alumna of the University of Kansas.

The book presents a model of female talent development that offers clear, research-based guidance for parents, teachers and policy leaders who want to provide opportunities for all bright girls to achieve their full potential. “It is not whether or not to tell your girl she is gifted but how to tell her,” Professor Kerr said. “Bright girls need to know specifically what their intelligence and achievement test scores mean, how the tests may be biased, how their areas of strength relate to their interests, how this snapshot can be used to guide future learning.”

Dr. Kerr joined the faculty at the University of Kansas in 2005. She previously taught at Arizona State University. Professor Kerr earned a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri. She also holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Ohio State University.