Eric Dearing

Eric Dearing is a **Professor** at Boston College, holding dual roles as Professor of Applied Developmental Psychology and Executive Director of the Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children. He is affiliated with the Lynch School of Education and Human Development and the Centre for Research on Equality in Education. His work focuses on **intervention strategies for children in poverty**, **early childhood education**, and the **impact of educational opportunities on life chances**.

**Research Interests**: His academic pursuits explore how socioeconomic factors shape educational trajectories, particularly through early childhood policies. Key areas include early math learning, universal childcare systems, and the long-term outcomes of disadvantaged children. His recent work highlights disparities in achievement gaps and the role of accumulated opportunities in adult success.

**Awards**: Dearing has received prestigious recognition, including an Honorary Doctoral Degree from the University of Oslo, the Foundation for Child Development Young Scholar Award, and a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship.

**Publications**: His recent articles emphasize the lifelong benefits of high-quality early education, the widening socioeconomic achievement gap in Nordic societies, and the role of parental number talk in math readiness. These studies underscore policy-relevant insights for reducing educational inequality.

**Lab/Affiliations**: He leads the Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children, a research hub addressing child development challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.