More than 3,000 academics from around the world gathered in Washington, D.C., on August 4-8 for the American Accounting Association (AAA) 2018 annual meeting. The meeting, themed “Pathways to a Sustainable Future,” offered an excellent opportunity for IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants) to share information about its resources for students and academics. At the gathering, Raef Lawson, Ph.D., CMA, CSCA, CPA, CFA, IMA director of research and policy and professor-in-residence, also was honored with a prestigious award.

In addition to sponsoring an exhibit booth, IMA hosted an annual breakfast on Tuesday, August 7. During that time, Ginger White, CMA, CSCA, IMA Global Board Chair; and Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, IMA president and CEO, provided updates about the positive trends in membership growth and the CMA program. Lawson also discussed IMA’s student and academic programs, including CMA Scholarships, research grants, publishing opportunities, and more.

 Lawson speaking to attendees at the IMA annual breakfast.
Lawson speaking to attendees at the IMA annual breakfast.


In conjunction with the AAA Management Accounting Section (MAS), IMA also sponsors two awards, which are presented at the annual meeting during a special MAS Luncheon. This year, these awards went to:

  • Jim Bulloch Award for Innovation in Management Accounting Education:
    • Gail Hoover King (Purdue University Northwest)
    • Kelvie Crabb (University of Kansas)
    • Kimberly Swanson Church (University of Missouri Kansas City)
  • MAS Dissertation Award: Eunhee Kim (City University of Hong Kong)

“This AAA annual meeting once again provided IMA with an opportunity to remind the academic community about the various programs we have available to support their research and teaching efforts,” said Lawson. “Our participation enabled us to reach a wide variety of academics from across the world, some whom know IMA very well and others who haven’t known us for long. We are encouraged by the growth in the support from the academic community and look forward to continuing to bring valuable programs and resources to help inform their work.”

Lawson and co-author David E. Stout are recognized with an Outstanding Accounting Education Research Award.
Lawson and co-author David E. Stout are recognized with an Outstanding Accounting Education Research Award.


Also at the meeting, Lawson was presented with an Outstanding Accounting Education Research Award. Lawson was recognized for his work on an article in the Journal of Accounting Education, titled “Forces for Change in Higher Education and Implications for the Accounting Academy,” which he co-authored with Karen V. Pincus, David E. Stout, James E. Sorensen, and Kevin D. Stocks. The award was presented by the AAA Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Section.

For more information about IMA’s education-related programs, please visit IMA’s student page and educator page.