Ying Yao (centre) flanked by her award nominators Earl Woodruff (L) and Kang Lee (R) (photo courtesy of Sharon Yao)
Ying Yao recognized with OISE's 2025 Leithwood Award
Published: June 25, 2025
Ying Yao, a PhD graduate from the the department of applied psychology and human development in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), has been recognized with the 2025 Leithwood Award for OISE Outstanding Thesis of the Year.
The annual award recognizes exceptional research by OISE students in the last phase of their doctorate. It is named in honour of Professor Emeritus Kenneth Leithwood.
Yao was acknowledged for her PhD thesis titled “Psychological and Physiological Reactions During a Math Test in Children with High and Low Math Anxiety.”
“Dr. Yao's investigation of the psychological and physiological responses of children with and without math anxiety advances research in several fields, with important implications for both theory and practice, including the design of more effective interventions for students with math anxiety,” said Michele Peterson-Badali, associate dean, research, international & innovation at OISE. “I wish to congratulate Dr. Yao on receiving the Leithwood Award, and for delivering a dissertation that stood out among outstanding submissions.”
Christine Corso from the department of leadership, higher and adult education received an honourable mention for her thesis, “Academic Engagement and Emotional Well-Being of Secondary Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
