Heather Price has always known she wanted to help others and create meaningful change. As a student at UConn Waterbury, she initially thought the only way to achieve this goal was through direct service as a social worker. During her time in the Human Development and Family Studies program, however, she discovered how comprehensive the […]

Yuanyuan (Sunny) Zhang is an HDFS PhD candidate on track to complete her degree in August 2026. She began her academic journey studying applied psychology at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels in China. During her last year of college, while navigating academic stress, she first encountered mindfulness — and the experience left a lasting […]

Dr. Laura Donorfio has been a part of the HDFS Department since 1989, receiving her MA and PhD with concentrations in adulthood, aging, and gerontology and intergenerational relationships. During graduate school, Laura’s research focused on family caregiving and filial responsibility. Laura was one of the first in her field to qualitatively capture the dyadic, lived […]

Dr. Rebecca Puhl is a Professor of HDFS and Deputy Director of the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health. She joined the HDFS faculty in 2015. Rebecca was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. She completed her BAH in psychology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and then moved to Connecticut in 1999 […]

Leslie is Professor Emerita of Public Health (Health Policy and Management) at the Yale School of Public Health. She also has a secondary position as Professor of Management at the Yale School of Management, a courtesy position as Professor in the Jackson School of Global Affairs, and serves as Core Faculty at the Yale Global […]

Keith Bellizzi was interviewed for an article in The Independent on the psychology of changing minds, “How to change your mind–and the minds of the people around you, according to experts“

Rebecca Puhl (PI) received a grant “Equipping Pediatric Health Professionals with Tools for Change: Confronting Weight Bias and Improve Obesity Care in Pediatric Settings”. This 2-year project funded by Eli Lilly & Company is supporting the development of a comprehensive evidence-based online resource for pediatric professionals to reduce stigma and improve supportive patient care to […]

Madeline Jones Hebert received a research grant from the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate program to support her work and professional development at the SRCD SOGIE Caucus Global Forum in August. Congratulations Madeline!

I graduated from UConn in 1976. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development and Family Relations (now HDFS), with a minor in Sociology. Going to UConn in the mid-1970s was a time of great social change as well as the opportunity to experiment with new ways of pursuing knowledge. I entered college […]

Tochukwu (TC) is a first year Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Sciences, specializing in Adulthood, Aging, and Gerontology. His academic advisor is Dr. Candi Nwakasi. TC earned his Master’s degree in gerontology from Miami University in Ohio and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in social work from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. […]