Jynx Lopez is a Lecturer at Sonoma State University, where she has been teaching for five years. With more than three decades of experience in the child-development field, she brings extensive practical expertise to her university courses and continues to operate five state-funded preschools and one infant-toddler center. Education: Extensive field experience in Child Development spanning 32 years Research & Teaching Focus: Jynx Lopez specializes in Child Development, particularly in the areas of early childhood education, preschool curriculum design, and infant-toddler development. Her courses—EDUC 435 and EDUC 420—integrate theory with real-world practice drawn from her ongoing management of multiple early-learning centers. Professional Service: Currently owns and operates five state-funded preschools and one infant-toddler center, providing continuous applied insights that enrich her university teaching.
Dr. Qing Zhou is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the Culture and Family Study Lab. He received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University and specializes in understanding how cultural context, family dynamics, and temperament influence children's socio-emotional, academic, and executive function development, with a focus on immigrant families. Key research interests include: Developmental psychopathology Temperament and emotion regulation Family socialization and parenting Impact of bilingualism on child development Cultural values and migration effects on adjustment His work employs multi-method approaches, including questionnaires, behavioral observations, and neuropsychological testing, with ongoing projects like the NICHD-funded longitudinal study on dual language learners and the Chau Hoi Shuen Foundation-supported grandparent involvement research. Collaborations include scholars at UC-Davis, UC-Merced, Wellesley College, and institutions in France and Taiwan. Dr. Zhou has trained numerous students, including current doctoral candidates Xinyi Chen, Erika Roach, and Christopher Gys, as well as alumni at institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and UCSF. His lab's publications emphasize cross-cultural comparisons, longitudinal designs, and intervention implications for immigrant youth.
Gail E. Joseph is a Professor in the College of Education at the University of Washington, with affiliations in Early Childhood & Family Studies and Learning Sciences & Human Development. She teaches courses, advises students, and conducts research on early care and education, focusing on child care quality, social-emotional learning, teacher education, and technology integration. Ph.D., University of Washington Her research projects include statewide surveys on early childhood workforce conditions, studies on digital professional learning tools like Circle Time Magazine, and evaluations of coaching interventions (e.g., FIND in Childcare) to improve teacher-child interactions. She co-created resources such as Teacher Time and the EarlyEdU Alliance, which aims to enhance early childhood education through accessible bachelor’s degrees. Her publications span topics like social-emotional curricula, behavioral interventions, and inclusive education frameworks. She has held leadership roles as Principal Investigator (PI) of the Head Start Center for Inclusion and Co-PI of the National Center for Quality Teaching and Learning (NCQTL). 2018 David R. Thorud Leadership Award (University of Washington) She currently serves as Executive Director of Cultivate Learning at the University of Washington, advancing professional development and quality improvement initiatives nationwide.
Sarah Curtis is a Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of History at San Francisco State University. She specializes in 19th-century France, focusing on social, cultural, religious, and gender history, including the French empire. Her work explores the roles of religious orders and women in education and mission work, emphasizing their agency within societal structures. She currently researches the 'culture of childhood' in 19th-century France. Her research has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend (2018) and the Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize (2011). She has published extensively, including Civilizing Habits (2010) and Educating the Faithful (2000), which highlight the transformative role of religious institutions in education and colonial contexts. Awards: National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend (2018) Frances Richardson Keller-Sierra Prize (2011) Fulbright Research Fellowship (2001-02) As Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Curtis oversees the History M.A. program. Her courses cover European social history, gender studies, and imperialism. She has contributed to academic service, including editorial roles and conference leadership in French and colonial history.
Ying Xu is an Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), specializing in the design of AI technologies to support children's language, literacy, STEM learning, and well-being. Her research emphasizes creating AI systems that act as interactive learning companions and language partners for children while fostering human-AI collaboration with educators and families. She holds a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Technology from the University of California, Irvine, and previously served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan from 2022 to 2024. Her work focuses on understanding how AI can complement human interactions, particularly through conversational agents integrated into media like books and educational TV programs. Collaborations include partnerships with PBS KIDS, GBH Education, and Sesame Workshop. Funded by organizations such as the National Science Foundation and Schmidt Futures, her research bridges developmental psychology, education, and human-computer interaction. Xu's studies highlight AI's potential for personalized learning while addressing ethical considerations like AI literacy and social impact. Key achievements include numerous best paper awards and recognition as an Early Career Interdisciplinary Scholar by SRCD. Her interdisciplinary approach involves designing technologies that reflect community values and linguistic/cultural diversity, ensuring equitable access to AI-driven educational tools. Xu advocates for balanced AI integration in children's lives, emphasizing the need for transparency about AI's limitations and the importance of maintaining human connections. She explores how AI can empower stakeholders (e.g., educators, parents) to co-create technologies tailored to their needs, ensuring AI serves as a complement—not replacement—for human interaction. Current projects investigate conversational AI's design principles, children's perceptions of AI, and strategies for fostering critical evaluation of AI-generated content. She also examines how AI affects social interactions and developmental processes, advocating for ethical guidelines to maximize benefits while mitigating risks.
Daniel Kreisman is an Associate Professor of Economics at Georgia State University and a faculty affiliate at the University of Milan. His research focuses on labor economics, education finance, and policy, particularly examining school funding, career and technical education (CTE), and student loan repayment systems. Kreisman founded the Career & Technical Education Policy Exchange (CTEx), a multi-state consortium under Georgia Policy Labs, which analyzes CTE policy impacts. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in History and Philosophy from Tulane University. Prior to academia, he taught high school English in New Orleans. His education includes a PhD from the University of Chicago (Public Policy) and a BA from Tulane University (History and Philosophy). Research Interests: Educational Finance and School Funding Mechanisms CTE Program Design and Equity Student Loan Repayment Behaviors Labor Market Signaling and Economic Outcomes Public Policy Evaluation CTEx collaborations include state partners in Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Atlanta, focusing on data-driven policy to enhance CTE programs. Advising & Grants: Kreisman’s work bridges academia and policy, with grants supporting research on CTE alignment, financial aid impacts, and loan repayment systems. His lab affiliations enable applied policy analysis. Labs/Teams: Director of CTEx and active member of Georgia Policy Labs, emphasizing evidence-based education policy.
Dr. Ben Clarke is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Special Education and Clinical Sciences at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. His research focuses on mathematical development, assessment systems, and school-based interventions to support student achievement. He has led over 20 federally funded grants totaling ~$55 million, emphasizing early numeracy interventions and multi-tiered instructional models. Clarke’s work bridges theory and practice, with publications on mathematics instruction, assessment, and RTI frameworks. Education: PhD (2002), MA (2001) in School Psychology/Special Education from University of Oregon; BS (1997) in Psychology from Wabash College (Phi Beta Kappa). Research Interests: Mathematics intervention design and efficacy Early numeracy assessment Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) Technology in education Equity in mathematics education Publications highlight his focus on intervention fidelity, tiered models, and outcomes for students with learning difficulties. Awards include the AERA Special Education SIG Research Award and recognition for academic excellence. Grants and Advising: Principal Investigator on ~$55M in federal grants; advises graduate students in School Psychology and Special Education. His lab develops evidence-based tools like the KinderTEK iPad program and contributes to national practice guides (e.g., IES RTI for Mathematics). Labs/Teams: Leads research teams focused on early mathematics intervention and MTSS implementation, collaborating with schools and policymakers to scale effective practices.
Dr. Samita Arora is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education at George Mason University , part of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Her work focuses on early childhood education for diverse learners, special education, and inclusive curricula. She teaches courses such as Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education , Medical and Developmental Aspects of Disabilities , and Family-Centered Assessment . Dr. Arora's expertise spans language and literacy development in young learners, assessment strategies, and policies in early childhood education. She holds a terminal degree in the field and is affiliated with the Fairfax Campus, specifically Thompson Hall 1200. Key areas of teaching include curriculum design for inclusive settings, early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities, and engagement with families of diverse learners. Her courses emphasize evidence-based practices and culturally responsive teaching methods.
Maria Fitzpatrick is Professor in Cornell University's Department of Policy Analysis and Management and Director of the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs. A Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, she holds a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (2008) and specializes in child/family policy and education economics. Research examines early childhood education impacts, teacher compensation and retirement systems, child maltreatment reporting, and incarceration effects on families. Notable studies analyze universal pre-kindergarten programs, teacher pension reforms, and maternal incarceration's impact on birth outcomes. Current projects investigate child welfare decision-making algorithms and prison visitation policies. Fellowships include the Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Early Career Fellowship and postdoctoral positions at Stanford's Institute for Economic Policy Research. She has advised government agencies including the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and Queensland Rail.
Jonathan Santo is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), where he serves as Director of the Graduate Developmental Psychology Program and as a faculty member in the Office of Latino/Latin-American Studies. His research explores peer relations, cultural differences in self-esteem, and classroom-level influences on child and adolescent development, with a focus on improving school environments and fostering positive social interactions. ORCA Faculty Fellow His research spans broad areas including Developmental Psychology , Social Support Systems , and Cross-Cultural Peer Dynamics , with specific attention to peer victimization , self-continuity , school climate , and developmental trajectories in Brazilian and Colombian youth . Recent publications analyze topics like hikikomori experiences , friendship security , and HPA axis dysregulation in adolescents. Scientific awards include the ORCA Faculty Fellow recognition. His work often involves longitudinal assessments of peer relationships cross-cultural comparisons (Brazil, Colombia, China, Nigeria, Singapore, U.S.) policy-focused blog posts on family separations and school interventions
Melissa Koenig serves as Professor and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development (ICD), where her research examines social and testimonial learning mechanisms in children through investigations of trust, cultural learning, memory, language, and cognitive development. As a first-generation college student, she prioritizes supporting students navigating academic systems through collaborative mentorship. Education PhD (2002), University of Texas at Austin Her research program spans cognitive development, cross-cultural studies, early childhood, language acquisition, theory of mind, and social-emotional development across peer, parent, and romantic contexts. The lab employs interdisciplinary, multi-method approaches with explicit cultural analysis to advance developmental science, particularly examining how children evaluate information sources and integrate testimony into moral frameworks. Analysis of her 2021-2024 publications reveals dominant themes in epistemic trust development, including how children assess informant credibility through moral behavior, group affiliation, and cultural context. Key trajectories show increasing sophistication in distinguishing epistemic versus practical reasoning, cross-cultural variations in trust attribution, and the developmental emergence of resistance to power-based corruption like bribery. Advising & Mentorship Accepts new PhD students for Fall 2026 cohort Requires prospective students to contact prior to December 1 application deadline Public advising statement details mutual expectations and support structures Specializes in guiding students through academic navigation and hidden curriculum challenges She directs the Early Language and Experience Lab, which maintains a collaborative research environment focused on uncovering constraints and supports for children's social learning across diverse contexts, with particular attention to cultural and socioeconomic variables in developmental processes.
Florida Atlantic University - Boca RatonUnited States
Brett Laursen is a Professor of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, with additional Docent Professor appointments in Educational Psychology at the University of Helsinki and in Social Developmental Psychology at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. His research focuses on developmental psychology, particularly adolescent development, peer relationships, and social dynamics. Dr. Laursen earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in Child Psychology from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and his B.A. in Psychology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. He also holds an Honorary Ph.D. from Örebro University in Sweden. His research program examines influence within close relationships, with particular focus on peer relationships during childhood and adolescence. Current projects include longitudinal studies of elementary and middle school children in Florida, Lithuanian youth transitioning from middle to secondary school, and child characteristics affecting parent engagement in literacy activities. His work consistently explores how social dynamics shape development, with special attention to friendship formation, dissolution, and influence processes. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on peer relationships, social status, and developmental transitions. His research employs sophisticated longitudinal and genetically informed designs to examine how social contexts shape development across childhood and adolescence, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms through which peer influence operates. Fellow, American Psychological Association (Division 7, Developmental; Division 8, Social) Fellow and Charter Member, Association for Psychological Science Fellow, International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development Distinguished Alumnus, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota Florida Atlantic University Scholar of the Year (2023-24 and 2016-17) Dr. Laursen has mentored numerous doctoral and master's students who have gone on to successful careers in academia and research. His research has been supported by major funding sources including the US National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the US National Institute of Mental Health, the US National Science Foundation, Trygfonden, the Jacobs Foundation, and the European Social Fund. As Editor-in-Chief of Merrill Palmer Quarterly and Founding Editor of Cambridge Elements in Research Methods for Developmental Science, he plays a significant role in shaping the field's scholarly discourse. The Laursen Lab operates as a collaborative research team involving current students, alumni, and international collaborators including Professors Goda Kaniušonytė and Rita Žukauskienė of Mykolas Romeris University in Lithuania. The lab regularly presents research at major conferences including the Society for Research on Child Development.
Dr. Hideko Hamada Bassett is an Assistant Professor at the School of Integrative Studies, George Mason University, specializing in child development, socialization, and interdisciplinary studies. Her research focuses on social-emotional development, emotion socialization, and school readiness in early childhood education. Education: Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology, George Mason University M.S. in General Psychology, University of Memphis B.A. in English, Kansai Gaidai University Her research emphasizes the interplay between executive functioning, emotional competence, and classroom behavior, with a particular interest in cross-cultural comparisons and teacher-child interactions. Recent publications explore themes such as emotion knowledge, self-regulation, and social information processing in preschoolers. Dr. Bassett’s work includes the development of assessment tools like the BRACE Coding System and the Preschool Self-Regulation Assessment, aiming to improve social-emotional learning frameworks. She has contributed to studies examining gender differences, socioeconomic risk factors, and the role of maternal emotion teaching in shaping preschoolers' developmental outcomes. Contact: hhamada@gmu.edu | Office: Enterprise Hall
Laura Ascenzi-Moreno serves as Professor of Bilingual Education and Bilingual Program Coordinator in the Childhood, Bilingual and Special Education Department at Brooklyn College, City University of New York (CUNY), School of Education. Her academic leadership focuses on developing educators capable of serving linguistically diverse student populations through equity-centered pedagogical frameworks. Her educational foundation includes a B.A. in Anthropology and Education from Swarthmore College (1994), an M.A. in Individualized Studies in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education (1999), New York State Permanent Certification for PreK-6 (2002), a Bilingual ESL and Teacher Leadership Program from Bank Street College (2004), and a Ph.D. in Urban Education from CUNY Graduate Center (2012). Dr. Ascenzi-Moreno's research pioneers translanguaging applications across literacy instruction, assessment, and computational learning environments. She investigates how emergent bilinguals' linguistic repertoires can transform reading development, teacher knowledge construction, and multimodal assessment practices. Her work consistently centers equity through frameworks like syncretic reasoning and accompáñamiento, challenging deficit ideologies while promoting asset-based approaches to multilingual education. Analysis of her 2020-2024 publications reveals an accelerating interdisciplinary trajectory where translanguaging principles increasingly intersect with computer science education. This evolution demonstrates strategic expansion from foundational literacy research into computational literacies, with growing emphasis on co-design methodologies and teacher agency in developing multilingual CS curricula. Her scientific recognition includes the 2024 NCTE Outstanding Elementary Educator Award, Language Arts Distinguished Article Award, and major NSF grants totaling $1.3 million for computational literacy projects. Additional honors encompass Fulbright Scholarship work in Colombia, PSC-CUNY research awards, and Westinghouse Science Talent Search distinction. As Principal Investigator of NSF-funded PiLa-CS and former CUNY-NYSIEB Associate Investigator, she secures substantial grant support while mentoring teacher candidates. Her service includes NCTE Elementary Steering Committee leadership (2022-2026), journal reviewing, and Brooklyn's New York Teacher Table participation addressing educator recruitment/retention. Dr. Ascenzi-Moreno co-directs the Participating in Literacies in Computer Science project and maintains active collaboration with NYC schools through translanguaging professional development initiatives. Her work with the CUNY-NYSIEB project established foundational frameworks now implemented across New York bilingual programs.
Elham Kazemi is a Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Washington’s College of Education, holding the Geda and Phil Condit Endowed Chair. She specializes in elementary teacher education, instructional leadership, and equity-focused mathematics pedagogy. Her research emphasizes professional learning communities, student-centered classroom practices, and disrupting inequities in education. Education: PhD in Mathematics Education, UCLA (1999) MA in Educational Psychology, UCLA (1997) BS in Psychology (Elementary Teaching Certificate), Duke University (1992) Research Interests: Kazemi’s work focuses on equitable mathematics instruction, teacher learning, and leadership development. She designs school-wide professional development models (e.g., Math Labs) and studies classroom discourse, student disciplinary identities, and organizational learning. Key projects include the Labs Project (funded by JSMF) and RMLL (NSF-funded leader learning). Publications & Grants: Over 40 peer-reviewed articles, including work in American Educational Research Journal and Journal of Teacher Education . Co-authored influential books like Choral Counting and Counting Collections and Intentional Talk . Recipient of $5.4M+ in grants from NSF, McDonnell Foundation, and others for projects on teacher leadership and equitable instruction. Awards: 2022 AERA Open Article of the Year 2019 Outstanding Faculty Award for Educational Equity 2015 Geda & Phil Condit Professorship Advising & Leadership: Kazemi co-leads initiatives like the Leading Towards Racially Just Mathematics Instruction partnership. She has supervised numerous graduate students and collaborates with schools to implement equity-driven practices. Labs & Teams: Her work includes the Labs Project (designing Learning Labs for mathematics/literacy discussions) and the Mathematics Education Project (MEP), fostering statewide collaboration among educators.
