Stefania Vacaru

Stefania Vacaru is a Research Associate at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences and LEARN! - Child rearing at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She concurrently serves as a staff member at NYUAD (Abu Dhabi) since March 2024. Her academic qualification includes a PhD in Psychology.

Her research focuses on developmental psychology, particularly infant and child emotional regulation, attachment theory, and the interplay between physiological responses (e.g., cortisol) and environmental factors (e.g., outdoor activities). Key methodologies include pupillometry, electromyography (EMG), and longitudinal studies.

Recent work explores how maternal-infant interactions, infant care practices, and environmental exposures influence child development. She has contributed to datasets on facial mimicry in toddlers and has published in journals like Scientific Reports and Psychoneuroendocrinology.