Sarah Berger

Dr. Sarah Berger is a Full Professor at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. Her research focuses on infant development, particularly the interplay between motor skills, sleep, and cognitive processes. She leads the Child Development Lab, exploring how locomotion and postural control influence problem-solving and learning in infants.

Her educational background includes a PhD and MA from New York University and a BA from the University of Texas. Notable awards include National Science Foundation grants (2020-2023, 2016-2021) and a Fulbright Research Fellowship (2010-2011).

Research interests include cognition-action trade-offs, sleep's role in motor learning, and the impact of motor delays on learning. Collaborations involve Dr. Anat Scher (University of Haifa) on sleep and locomotion, and Dr. Regina Harbourne (Duquesne University) on postural control and motor interventions. She also partners with Nanit for sleep-motor development studies.

Key findings highlight sleep's role in enhancing problem-solving after learning, and the cognitive demands of balancing during reaching tasks. Her work bridges developmental psychology, physical therapy, and neuroscience.

• Scientific Awards: NSF Awards (2020-2023, 2016-2021), Fulbright Fellowship
• Advising: Mentor to over 20 students in experimental and observational studies
• Labs/Teams: Child Development Lab, collaborations with NYU and Duquesne University