Congratulations to Dr. Emily Milne, associate professor in the Department of Sociology, who is the recipient of MacEwan’s 2026 Distinguished Researcher Award.

Each year, the Distinguished Researcher Award recognizes one faculty member who conducts exceptional scholarly work that has demonstrated significant contributions to society and the scholarly community – locally, nationally or internationally.

“Dr. Milne's longstanding commitment to students – not just at MacEwan, but throughout Alberta – is what makes her so deserving of this honour,” says Dr. Craig Monk, provost and vice-president, Academic. “Her work identifying educational inequities and knowledge gaps within school divisions exemplifies the kind of community-engaged scholarship this award was created to recognize. Its impact will be felt both on campus and throughout the broader community.”

Dr. Milne is an applied sociologist and a community-engaged researcher with a focus on the sociology of education, education policy, social inequality, qualitative methods and family/social relationships. She uses theory and research methods to engage with social issues, contribute to public understanding and discourse and address issues in real-world settings. 

Dr. Milne was recognized for her impressive research record, extensive student supervision and community engagement. Her 2025 SSHRC Partnership Grant to identify education inequities and address knowledge gaps to improve education decision-making, practices and policies in Alberta was identified as an example of the impactful research she leads. 

Dr. Milne has published numerous academic journal articles and book chapters on topics including educational inequality, social policy, family/school relationships, community-engaged research, and education and reconciliation. 

She has given many presentations at academic conferences and to professional/practitioner audiences, including educators and policy makers at Alberta Education, and she has prepared numerous reports for government and school divisions. Her research has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Her research has also received national media attention and has been featured on several news outlets including Global News TV, The Globe and Mail and the National Post, among others.

Dr. Milne will receive the Distinguished Researcher Award as part of the university’s Spring Convocation ceremonies.