Jessica Stern

Jessica Stern is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Science at Pomona College since 2024, specializing in attachment theory, close relationships, and child development. Her research examines how relationships with parents, peers, and social supports influence neurobiological, social, and mental health outcomes across childhood and adolescence.

Dr. Stern's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. from University of Maryland, College Park
• Master of Science from University of Maryland, College Park
• Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College

Her research spans developmental psychology, attachment theory, and family processes, with emphasis on intergenerational risk/resilience processes, racial-ethnic identity, gender, and socioeconomic context. Key areas include early childhood brain development, social-emotional development across the lifespan, and empathy/prosocial behavior mechanisms. She integrates developmental neuroscience with attachment frameworks to study relationship impacts on neural responses.

Recent publications (2024-2025) reveal strong trends in attachment theory applications, intergenerational transmission studies, and global climate psychology initiatives. Her work increasingly examines racial identity and socioeconomic factors in family dynamics while expanding into environmental moral cognition and cross-cultural climate interventions through the International Climate Psychology Collaboration.

Major scientific awards include:

• Mind & Life Institute PEACE Grant and Samuel B. Hanser Visionary Grant (2023–2025)
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020–2023)
• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2015–2018)
• University of Maryland Flagship Fellowship (2014–2019)
• Society for Research on Child Development Dissertation Award (2018–2019)

Dr. Stern mentors students through shared first-author publications (e.g., Whittenburg et al., 2023) and secures significant research funding including NIH, NSF, and institute-specific grants. She leads community engagement initiatives through trainings for youth/family organizations and participates in the 63-country International Climate Psychology Collaboration, focusing on translating research into policy and practice.