Pamela Norcross

Pamela Norcross is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human & Environmental Sciences at Meredith College, serving as the Child Development Coordinator. She holds a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from UNC Greensboro, with additional MS degrees in related fields and Child Life Certification. Her career spans clinical roles at Duke Children’s Hospital and academic research in infant development.

Dr. Norcross’s research focuses on early parent-infant relationships, maternal mental health, and the effects of hospitalization on families. She specializes in analyzing neurodevelopmental outcomes for premature infants and evaluating psychosocial interventions like group social support during pregnancy. She is Co-PI of Meredith College’s first NIH-funded grant (AIMSS), investigating social support’s impact on postpartum depression.

Her work emphasizes family-centered care, leveraging expertise in SPSS, STATA, and qualitative research tools. Notable contributions include studies on maternal depressive symptoms’ effects on infant outcomes and the role of sleep deprivation in parental responsiveness. She actively mentors undergraduates in research, presenting at conferences like SRCD and ICIS.

Awarded the Harvard Medical School Global Clinical Scholars certificate, Norcross also teaches anti-bias pedagogy and civic engagement strategies. Her professional credentials include Certified Educator of Infant Massage and diverse grant-funded roles in NICU early intervention.