Congratulations to Assistant Professor Kevin Ferreira Van Leer, who received a Spencer Vision Grant entitled: Transforming Hispanic Serving Institutions from Enrolling to Serving: Collaborative Examination of Equitable Practices and Policies in the California State University System!
Author: Janice Berriault
Alum Luke Russell, elected Chair of NCFR Research and Theory
Congratulations to alumni Luke Russell (BA ’10), newly elected Chair-elect of the NCFR Research and Theory Section.
Nate Stekler, elected Student and New Professionals Rep of NCFR
Congratulations to *Nate Stekler, newly elected Students and New Professionals Representative of the NCFR Research and Theory Section.
Keith Bellizzi featured in UConn Today article
Professor Keith Bellizzi and colleagues were featured in an article about their recent study demonstrating that families make up a lot of the users of the #childhoodcancer hashtag on X-Twitter https://today.uconn.edu/2025/03/uconn-study-of-hashtag-childhoodcancer-shows-families-leading-the-conversation/
Undergrad researcher Kayvona Brown featured in UConn Today
UConn Today featured undergraduate researcher *Kayvona Brown who is currently enrolled in the HDFS Research Practicum with Assistant Professor Marketa Burnett exploring Black caregivers’ hopes and dreams for their daughters. Link: https://today.uconn.edu/2025/03/meet-the-undergraduate-researcher-kayvona-brown-clas/#
Tracy Walters (PhD’23), new position as TA Prof at Marquette Univ
Congratulations to Tracy Walters (PhD ’23) who recently accepted a new position as Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of the Applied Psychology Data Analytics Master’s program at Marquette University to start this Fall!
Child Labs training workshop offered at EASTCONN conference
Marianne Legassey presented a training workshop to community childcare providers at the EASTCONN Annual Infant Toddler conference on March 7th. Marianne presented Trauma Informed Practices in Early Childhood. Christine Perkins, Child Labs Master Toddler Teacher and Kelly Clark, Child Labs Master Infant Teacher, presented a workshop at the conference. The workshop, cycle of Intentional Teaching for Sensory-Based Play with Infants and Toddlers, provided participants (infant and toddler center based teachers) opportunities to explore and create materials for their classrooms along with learning about intentional interactions with infants and toddlers.
HDFS faculty and grad students present at SBM conference
Eight HDFS faculty and four HDFS graduate students will be presenting 12 posters at the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) in San Francisco, CA at the end of March! See them all here
Na Zhang led mindfulness workshop for students at UConn Stamford
Assistant Professor Na Zhang recently organized a mindfulness workshop at UConn Stamford. She led students in meditation and discussed how to work with stress and improve quality of attention. Na plans to have one or two more of these workshops this semester.
Jennifer Dealy (PhD ’19) now Assoc Prof at Albertus Magnus College
Jennifer Dealy (PhD ’19) was recently promoted and tenured as associate professor of Psychology at Albertus Magnus College. Congratulations Jen!