Amy Whitesel

Amy Whitesel is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Psychology, focusing on adoption studies and child health. She is affiliated with the Early Growth and Development Study (EGDS) since 2002.

Education:

• Ph.D., Howard University (2008)

Research Interests:

Dr. Whitesel’s work prioritizes understanding birth parents’ experiences in adoption and child physical growth patterns in adoptive families. Her current EGDS-Health project examines dietary habits, food preferences, physical activity, and growth metrics across birth and adoptive family structures.

Professional Background:

A licensed clinical social worker, she collaborates with Dr. Jody Ganiban on longitudinal health studies. No specific grants, awards, or student advisement details were documented in the provided texts.

Labs/Teams:

Core member of the EGDS research team analyzing developmental trajectories in adopted populations.