Archana Hegde

Dr. Archana Hegde is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science within the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University. Her academic work focuses on early childhood care and education, with a specialization in teacher professional development, STEM education in early childhood settings, diversity issues, and early childhood mental health.

Dr. Hegde maintains active affiliations with multiple organizations:

• Principal Investigator for multiple NCDHHS-DCDEE funded projects on coaching and mentoring for North Carolina BK Licensed Teachers (2021-2026)
• Lead for the 'More PEAS Please!' initiative funded by NCSU and NIH focusing on nutrition-based STEM education
• Member of the NIH Advisory Board for K-2 nutrition-based STEM programming (funded September 2024)
• Assistant Secretary for the NC Institute of Child Development Professionals (2023)
• Board of Director for NC COALITION (2023)

Her research interests span multiple interconnected areas within early childhood education. Dr. Hegde takes a multi-disciplinary approach, frequently collaborating with faculty from social work, nutrition sciences, and public health. Her primary focus areas include teacher professional development, STEM education in early childhood settings, diversity and inclusion issues related to gender and culture, early childhood mental health (particularly trauma-informed practices), Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP), and quality assessment in early childhood settings. She has consistently examined how food-based learning can be integrated with science education to improve both nutritional outcomes and STEM knowledge in preschool settings.

Dr. Hegde's publication record demonstrates consistent productivity across multiple high-impact journals in early childhood education, nutrition education, and teacher development. Her recent work shows a strong emphasis on practical applications of research in real-world early childhood settings, particularly Head Start programs, with publications spanning from 2005 through 2025.

Among her notable recognitions:

• IEP Award in the Talent Category from Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (2024)
• Outstanding ANCHOR Award from HDFS (2024)
• Outstanding Faculty Research Award from College of Health and Human Performance at ECU (2021, 2020)
• Most Valuable Professor award from ECU Athletic Division (2017)

Dr. Hegde has secured significant grant funding from federal and state sources to support her research. As Principal Investigator, she has led multiple projects funded by NCDHHS-DCDEE on coaching and mentoring for early childhood teachers. Her 'More PEAS Please!' initiative has received funding from NCSU and NIH. She also serves as Co-PI on East Carolina University's Maternal and Child Health Scholars, Training, and Enrichment Program (MCH-STEP) funded by DHHS-HRSA.

While she doesn't appear to lead a formally named research laboratory, Dr. Hegde directs several significant research initiatives focused on early childhood education, particularly the 'More PEAS Please!' program which has produced multiple publications and presentations examining how food-based learning activities can improve preschoolers' science knowledge, language skills, and dietary quality. Her research team works closely with Head Start teachers and administrators to develop and implement evidence-based practices in early childhood settings.