Catherine Haden

Catherine Haden is a Professor of Developmental Psychology in Loyola University Chicago's Department of Psychology, where she teaches Research Methods (PSYC 306) and Laboratory in Developmental Psychology (PSYC 318). She directs research within the Developmental Psychology PhD program and maintains an active lab focused on children's cognitive development in informal learning contexts.

Her educational background includes:

• Post-Doctorate Fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill's Center for Developmental Science
• Ph.D. in Cognition and Development from Emory University
• M.A. in Cognition and Development from Emory University
• B.S. in Psychology from Wake Forest University

Dr. Haden's research examines how family narratives and storytelling during museum visits promote STEM learning among young children (ages 3-10), with particular emphasis on advancing diversity in STEM education. For over 15 years, she has partnered with Chicago Children's Museum to study parent-child interactions during tinkering activities, revealing how conversational strategies foster engineering understanding and scientific literacy. Her recent work explores Latinx family engagement in science-related discourse during book reading and reminiscing, demonstrating culturally responsive pathways to early STEM interest.

Analysis of her 2020-2024 publications shows a cohesive research trajectory centered on narrative reflection as a mechanism for learning transfer, with growing emphasis on equity-focused methodologies in informal STEM education. Her work bridges developmental psychology, educational research, and museum studies to develop practical strategies for caregivers and educators.

Dr. Haden actively mentors graduate students (including Aldrich, Pagano, Acosta, Marcus) and undergraduates (like George), evidenced by numerous co-authored publications. Her research is supported by National Science Foundation grants enabling longitudinal studies of family learning in museum environments.

She leads a collaborative research team that partners with Chicago Children's Museum to design exhibits and develop evidence-based practices for enhancing children's STEM learning through narrative reflection during and after museum visits.