Sara Z. Evans Named the Inaugural Recipient of the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award
(From left) Sara Z. Evans, award recipient, and Carolyn Henderson Meier, Cognella criminal justice and criminology publisher
In partnership with ACJS, Cognella celebrates outstanding education and leadership in the criminal justice discipline
San Diego, CA – April 3, 2026 – At the 2026 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sara Z. Evans was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award, an ACJS Academy Award. The annual award program 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.
Sara Z. Evans, Ph.D., is an associate professor and the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program director at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches courses in research methods, criminology, juvenile justice, race/gender/ethnicity, policing, and more.
The judging committee was impressed by how Dr. Evans applies high-impact practices (HIPs) and scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to fuse teaching, research, and service into transformative experiences for students and colleagues. Recognizing the innate connection between criminal justice/criminology and everyday social life, Dr. Evans is dedicated to sparking curiosity about society from a scientific perspective and helping students recognize patterns through systematic analysis.
Read Dr. Evans’ winner profile on the Cognella website to learn more about her teaching, innovation, and educational leadership: https://cognella.com/company-hosted-awards/future-innovators-in-cj-education-award
“This award is especially meaningful to me because it reflects recognition from my peers for work I care deeply about,” said Dr. Evans. “I believe students should have access to high-impact learning experiences and that faculty should be supported in creating those opportunities in ways that are both feasible and sustainable. This recognition affirms the importance of doing this work intentionally and helping others do the same.”
“We were very honored to award the Cognella Future Innovators in CJ Education Award to Dr. Evans,” said Mark Rubin, Executive Counselor of the Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship section of the ACJS. “Her approach to engaging students in active learning projects goes above and beyond what we normally see in criminal justice classrooms. Specifically, her award-winning project uniquely combines theoretical constructs and practical applications.”
Learn more 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.
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