Katelyn Kurkul

Katelyn Kurkul is an Associate Professor and Program Director in Applied Human Development & Human Services at Merrimack College's School of Education and Social Policy. Her research focuses on children’s early learning experiences, particularly how questions and interactions with adults and peers facilitate cognitive development across sociocultural contexts. She holds an Ed.D. in Human Development from Boston University, an M.A. in Childhood Development from Tufts University, and a B.A. in Elementary Education and Psychology from Stonehill College.

Her work emphasizes children's curiosity-driven learning mechanisms, such as question-asking and follow-up behaviors, alongside the impact of mechanistic language and cultural factors on learning. Recent studies explore how preschool settings, socioeconomic status, and peer mentoring influence cognitive and social development.

Dr. Kurkul has published extensively in journals like Child Development and the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. Her research highlights trends in early childhood education, including the role of explanation quality in trustworthiness perception and the malleability of selective trust. She has been recognized with the Distinguished Research Award and Distinguished Dissertation Award from the American Educational Research Association, as well as the Zampell Faculty Fellow honor.

Her work also extends to mentoring programs, such as the SMARTS initiative, which fosters executive function and academic self-concept in students with learning differences. Kurkul’s contributions bridge developmental psychology, education, and cultural studies, advocating for inclusive and evidence-based learning practices.