Lezlie Frye, assistant professor of gender studies and disability studies at the University of Utah, has won the 2020 Irving K. Zola Award for Emerging Scholars in Disability Studies for her paper, “Cripping the ‘Crack Baby’ Epidemic: A Feminist Genealogy.”

This national award from the Society for Disability Studies is given for a scholarly paper in disability studies suitable for publication that is written by an emerging scholar or scholars.

“I truly believe that Dr. Frye is the top young scholar in disability studies in the country,” said Kathryn Stockton, dean of the School for Cultural and Social Transformation. “Only two of these honors are awarded by the national society and she has won the prize for junior scholars. Even more importantly, Lezlie is challenging everyday concepts of (dis)abilities that result in differential harmful effects—at personal and institutional levels. She’s the sort of scholar who not only dismantles received ideas but also aims to show how structures could change if we put daring thought into action.”

Frye’s research focuses on disability, race and gender in the United States, emphasizing social movements, citizenship and state violence.