Andrew Penner, sociology assistant professor, has been named a National Academy of Education Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow. Penner will use data from 71 countries to examine the international variations in boys’ academic disengagement. By understanding where boys are more and less engaged in school, he hopes to determine how countries might help both boys and girls succeed in school.

The fellowship carries a $55,000 award which will support research and travel over the two-year study which began in summer 2012.