Cognella Partners with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) to Launch the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award

New award program celebrates educator-leaders within the criminal justice discipline

San Diego, CA – August 12, 2025 – Cognella has partnered with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) to launch the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award. The annual award seeks to recognize recently tenured faculty members in the criminology/criminal justice discipline who show a strong commitment to teaching, scholarship, and mentoring—individuals who model innovation, inspire students, and shape the future of the field.

Submissions for the inaugural award are open and will be accepted through September 15, 2025. The recipient of the very first award will be recognized at the 2026 ACJS Annual Meeting, March 3 – 7, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“We couldn’t be more excited to recognize incredible educators and thought leaders within the criminal justice discipline through this award,” said Carolyn Henderson Meier, Cognella Publisher in Criminology and Criminal Justice. “During my career in academic publishing, I’ve witnessed how deeply CJ educators care about their students and the future of the discipline. I know we’re going to be absolutely blown away by the creativity and dedication in the nominations for this award.”

All applications will be reviewed by the ACJS Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award Subcommittee and approved by the ACJS Executive Board. The inaugural recipient of the award will receive a $1,500 cash award, $250 in Cognella book credits, a commemorative plaque, a complimentary one-year ACJS membership, and recognition on the Cognella and ACJS websites.

View the criteria for the award program and submit an application.

Learn about all the ACJS Academy Awards, including the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award.

About Cognella®

Cognella® is redefining academic publishing by creating teacher-driven, student-centric higher education course materials in print and digital formats under three imprints: Cognella® Academic Publishing, Cognella® Custom, and Cognella® Active Learning. Cognella also publishes engaging nonfiction titles featuring modern perspectives as Cognella® Press. Learn more at www.cognella.com.

About ACJS 

The Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) is an international association established in 1963 to foster professional and scholarly activities in the field of criminal justice. ACJS promotes criminal justice education, research, and policy analysis within the discipline of criminal justice for both educators and practitioners.