Left: Dylan Johnson. Right: Sheena Bell (right) with doctoral supervisor Karen Mundy (photo by Perry King)
Sheena Bell and Dylan Johnson receive OISE's Leithwood Award
Published: July 21, 2026
Sheena Bell, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), and Dylan Johnson, OISE alum and postdoctoral fellow at McMaster University, have been named co-recipients of the 2026 Leithwood Award for Outstanding Thesis of the Year.
Named in honour of Professor Emeritus Kenneth Leithwood, the award recognizes exceptional, cutting-edge research conducted by OISE doctoral students in the final phase of their doctoral studies.
Bell was recognized for her dissertation examining how district education offices in Ghana translate education policy into practice. Drawing on policy analysis, a nationally representative survey and extensive fieldwork, her research highlights how local education leaders navigate resource constraints while supporting school improvement.
Johnson was recognized for his dissertation exploring how early-life adversity and resilience shape mental health of children and youths during large-scale societal disruption. Using family-based, longitudinal and nationally representative data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, his work offers insights to inform mental health supports for children and families.
"To select two winners for the award is unusual but to see that it's a shared honour speaks to the tremendous breadth of research being undertaken by our OISE community members," said Becky Chen, associate dean, research, partnership and innovation at OISE. "On behalf of OISE, I wish to congratulate Dr. Bell and Dr. Johnson for this tremendous honour."
