Kathryn Leech

Kathryn Leech is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Education. She leads the Early Learning Lab, focusing on how parent-child interactions influence early language, literacy, and cognitive development. Her work bridges developmental psychology and education, with a commitment to translating research into practical strategies for families. Leech holds a Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Maryland and a B.A. in Psychology from Kenyon College, with postdoctoral training at Harvard and Boston University.

Her research emphasizes STEM conversations, the impact of interventions like the R.E.A.D.Y. Early Literacy App (collaborating with Harvard/MIT), and neuroimaging studies on language disparities. Key projects include NSF-funded work on gender differences in science talk and the BEE Lab collaboration on brain development linked to parental language input.

Leech has received the 2025 Hettleman Prize and oversees a lab comprising graduate/undergraduate researchers. She teaches courses in early childhood education and has advised numerous students. Her work aims to address equity gaps in STEM and literacy through evidence-based practices.