Eileen O’Brien

Eileen O’Brien, Ph.D. is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She serves as Director of the Post-Master’s College Teaching and Learning Science Certificate program, focusing on preparing faculty for college-level instruction. Her roles include Teaching Assistant Coordinator, Psychology Teaching Fellows Supervisor, and Course Redesign Fellow. She holds a Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America (1987) with dual backgrounds in nursing and psychology.

Her research interests span developmental psychology with emphasis on early childhood, women’s and children’s health, and outcomes measurement in early interventions. She advises psychology majors pursuing early childhood certificates and contributes to grant reviews for federal programs like Head Start and Early Head Start.

Dr. O’Brien teaches courses including Child Development, Lifespan Development, and College Teaching Practicum. She has held leadership roles such as Lumen Circles Fellow (2021), Quality Matters Reviewer (2015–present), and Blackboard Ambassador. Her work emphasizes community collaborations in healthcare and integrated service delivery for families.