The Foundation for Child Development’s Young Scholars Program (YSP) continues its tradition of developing the next generation of researchers whose scholarship has the potential to improve children’s well-being and make a positive impact on policy and practice. The Foundation believes that a deeper understanding of the role of early care and education (ECE) professionals in enhancing young children’s early learning experiences can ultimately improve the chances for all children to reach their full potential. Currently, YSP supports implementation research that is policy and practice-relevant and that examines the preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and ongoing professional learning of the ECE workforce. Previously, the focus of YSP concentrated on the learning and development needs of children within immigrant families (YSP Cohorts 1-12).

The Foundation is proud to support the research of all the Young Scholars. To learn more about their important work, please see the profiles below of previous and current Young Scholars.

2023 Young Scholars (Cohort 19)

Anna Lees, Ed.D.

Associate Professor
Woodring College of Education
Western Washington University

Project Title: Land and Culture Based Indigenous Language Curriculum: Teacher Development and Child Assessment in a Coast Salish Tribal Nation Early Learning Program

Morgan Faison, Ph.D.

Clinical Associate Professor
College of Education
University of Georgia

Project Title: “Growing Our Own”: A Mixed Methods Study of Black Youths in High School Early Childhood Education Career Pathway Programs

Cristina Medellin-Paz, Ph.D.

Associate Director
Straus Center for Young Children & Families
Bank Street College of Education

Project Title: Lifting the Voices of Latina Family Child Care Providers: Using Mixed Methods to Learn How They Navigate Higher Education in their Pursuit of a Child Development Associate Credential

2022 Young Scholars (Cohort 18)

Ingrid Anderson, Ed.D.

Associate Professor of Practice, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education 
Portland State University

Project Title: Indigenous First Steps: Students, Family, Culture, Community (IFS-FCC)

Evandra Catherine, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Early Childhood Education Department, Teacher Preparation Division
Arizona State University

Project Title: A Mixed-Methods Approach to Describe the Implementation of Cultural Approaches During Classroom-Focused Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation 

Zoelene Hill, Ph.D.

Research Scientist
New York Academy of Medicine 

Project Title: Having Their Say: What Programs and Policies Do Unlisted Home-Based Child Care Workers Want to Support Their Work With Young Children?

Jayanti Owens, Ph.D.

Assistant Prof of Organizational Behavior 
Yale School of Management
Yale University

Project Title: What Drives Racial/Ethnic Disparities in School Discipline? Understanding Mechanisms to Inform Policy and Program Solutions

2021 Young Scholars (Cohort 17)

Alexandra Figueras-Daniel, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Straus Center for Young Children & Families
Bank Street College of Education

Project Title: Improving Dual Language Teaching for Spanish Speakers: Evaluating a Professional Learning System That Elevates Latina Teacher Voices

Thomas Goldring, Ph.D.

Director of Research, Georgia Policy Labs
Georgia State University 

Project Title: Pathways Into the Early Care and Education Workforce: The Role of Various Credentials in Facilitating the Supply and Placement of Early Care and Education Professionals

Shana E. Rochester, Ph.D.

Research Scientist
Child Trends 

Project Title: The Diverse Books Project 2.0: Supporting Early Care and Education Teachers’ Use of Multicultural Books through University-Based Research-Practice Partnerships

2020 Young Scholars (Cohort 16)

Vanessa Rodriguez, Ed.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health 
New York University School of Medicine 

Project Title: Using Mixed Methods to Explore Teacher Social and Emotional Learning, its Relationship to Classroom Practice, and the Implementation of Pre-K Professional Development

Bonnie Solomon, Ph.D.

Research Scientist, Education Research Program
Child Trends

Project Title: Examining Implementation of a Statewide Ban on Suspension and Expulsion in Early Childhood: Implications for Early Care and Education Workforce Supports

Angie Zapata, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum
University of Missouri-Columbia

Project Title: Teacher and Researcher Collaborative Inquiry as Ongoing Professional Development: Improving Early Childhood Experiences In Racially, Linguistically, and Ethnically Complex Missouri Classrooms

2018 Young Scholars (Cohort 15)

R. Gabriela Barajas-Gonzalez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Population Health
New York University School of Medicine

Project Title: Navigating Uncertainty: Understanding the Impact of Immigration-Related Stressors on the Well-being and Work of Pre-K-3rd Grade Teachers and Social Workers Working with Immigrant Families

Jennifer Wallace Jacoby, Ed.D.

Class of 1929 Dr. Virginia Apgar Assistant Professor of Education
Mount Holyoke College

Project Title: The Other Teachers in the Room: Foregrounding the Roles and Contributions of Assistant Teachers in Early Childhood Classrooms

Kelly Purtell, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Human Sciences
The Ohio State University

Project Title: The Role of Center Directors in Producing High Quality Preschool Experiences for Young Children

2017 Young Scholars (Cohort 14)

Anna Johnson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Georgetown University

Project Title: Understanding Publicly Funded Early Care and Education Workforce Supports and Well-being: Implications for Vulnerable Children’s School Readiness

Michelle Maier, Ph.D.

Research Associate
MDRC

Project Title: What Matters Most for Teachers and Young Children? An Examination of Teacher Practices, Child Outcomes, and Teacher Professional Development in Low-income Preschool Programs

Jaime Puccioni, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Literacy Teaching & Learning
University at Albany, State University of New York

Project Title: Estimating the Differential Impact of Preschool Teachers’ Outreach Efforts on Measures of School Readiness for Children from Economically Disadvantaged Backgrounds: The Mediating Role of Parental Involvement

2016 Young Scholars (Cohort 13)

North Cooc, Ed.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education
The University of Texas at Austin

Project Title: The Role of Early Childhood Teacher Qualifications and Kindergarten Transition Practices in the Developmental Trajectories of Young Children with Disabilities

Michael Gottfried, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education
University of California, Santa Barbara

Project Title: The Role of Full-Day Kindergarten for Children with Disabilities: Effects on Achievement and Socioemotional Development Read More.

Carola Oliva-Olson, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Early Childhood Studies
California State University, Channel Islands

Project Title: Early Childhood Classroom Quality Assessment for Dual Language Learners: Implications for Improving Teaching Practices

Holly Schindler, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, College of Education
University of Washington

Project Title: Filming Interactions to Nurture Development: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Strength-Based Video-Coaching Program for Mexican American Fathers

2014 Young Scholars (Cohort 12)

Justin Denney, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Sociology
Washington State University 

Project Title: Food Insecurity in Neighborhood Context: Investigating Disparities Among a Racially Diverse Sample of Young Children Read More.

Kevin Gee, Ed.D.

Associate Professor, School of Education 
University of California, Davis 

Project Title: The Impact of Food Security Status on Children’s Developmental Outcomes: Examining Differences Across Diverse Racial/Ethnic and Income Groups Read More.

Ramón A. Martínez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, School of Education
Stanford University 

Project Title: Exploring and Expanding Multilingual Students’ Linguistic Repertoires Read More.

Kristine M. Molina, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Psychology
University of Illinois at Chicago

Project Title: The Effects of Discrimination on Social, Academic, and Mental Health Outcomes of Puerto Rican Children: An Inter-Generational and Multi-Wave Study

Kristin Turney, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
University of California, Irvine

Project Title: The Developmental Trajectories of Children with Incarcerated Fathers: The Role of Families, Schools, and Neighborhoods Read More.

2013 Young Scholars (Cohort 11)

Cecilia Ayón, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Public Policy
University of California, Riverside

Project Title: ¿Tú de Donde Eres?: Latino Immigrant Families’ Efforts to Resist Discrimination Read More.

Kalina Brabeck, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Leadership, and School Psychology
Rhode Island College

Project Title: An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of US-Born Children in Latino Immigrant Families Read More.

Catherine DeCarlo Santiago, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology
Loyola University Chicago

Project Title: Protective Processes Among Immigrant Families: The Impact of Family Coping on Mexican-Origin Children Read More.

Amy L. Non, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Anthropology
University of California, San Diego

Project Title: Biological Embedding of Stress in Children of Mexican Immigrants Read More.

Amanda Sullivan, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, School Psychology 
University of Minnesota

Project Title: Special Needs Among Young Children of Immigrants: Prevalence, Risk and Protective Factors, and Educational Experiences Read More.

2012 Young Scholars (Cohort 10)

Jennifer Keys Adair, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
University of Texas at Austin

Project Title: Towards a Culturally Relevant Continuity of Development for Latino Children of Immigrants in PK-3 Educational Settings Read More.

Tiffany Green, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Health Behavior and Policy
Virginia Commonwealth University

Project Title: Prenatal Insurance, Prenatal Care and Early Life Health Among the Children of Black Immigrants Read More.

Jessica Zacher Pandya, Ph.D

Professor, Departments of Teacher Education and Liberal Studies
California State University, Long Beach

Project Title: Multimodal Digital Composition with English Language Learners Read More.

Lisseth Rojas-Flores, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Marriage & Family Therapy
Fuller Theological Seminary

Project Title: Parental Detention and Deportation and the Adjustment of Latino Citizen Children Read More.

Kevin J.A. Thomas, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Sociology, Demography & African Studies
Pennsylvania State University

Project Title: Parental Education — Occupation Mismatch Status and Child Poverty in Black Immigrant Families Read More.

2011 Young Scholars (Cohort 9)

Maricela Correa-Chávez, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology 
Clark University

Project Title: The Cultural Organization of Learning in Mexican Immigrant Families

Eric Dearing, Ph.D.

Professor, Applied Developmental & Educational Psychology
Boston College

Project Title: Student Support in High-Poverty Elementary Schools and the Achievement of English Language Learners Read More.

Lenna Nepomnyaschy, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, School of Social Work
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Project Title: Nonresident Father Involvement in Immigrant Families Read More.

Andrew Rasmussen, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Fordham University

Project Title: Child Health-Seeking Networks Among West African Refugees Read More.

2010 Young Scholars (Cohort 8)

Erin Todd Bronchetti, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Economics
Swarthmore College

Project Title: Public Insurance and the Health of Immigrant Children Read More.

Rachel Kimbro, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Sociology
Rice University

Project Title: Safe to Play? Immigrant Children’s Neighborhood Environments and Opportunities for Physical Activity Read More.

Tama Leventhal, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Child Study and Human Development
Tufts University

Project Title: Neighborhood Context and Immigrant Young Children’s Development Read More.

Eric E. Seiber, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Public Health
The Ohio State University

Project Title: New Immigration Destination States — Is It Harder For Eligible Immigrant Children To Enroll In Medicaid? Read More.

Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Pittsburgh

Project Title: Early Education and Care Experiences and School Readiness of Children of Immigrants Read More.

2009 Young Scholars (Cohort 7)

Christia Spears Brown, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Kentucky

Project Title: Children Succeeding During Demographic Shifts: How Discrimination and Ethnic Identity Predict the Academic Attitudes and Performance of Latino Children in a White Community Read More.

Joanna Dreby, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
University at Albany, State University of New York

Project Title: The Daily Lives of Children in Mexican Immigrant Households Read More.

Anna Gassman-Pines, Ph.D.

WLF Bass Connections Associate Professor, Sanford School of Public Policy
Duke University

Project Title: Paternal Employment, Family Functioning and Young Child Well-Being: A Daily Diary Study of Mexican Immigrant Families Read More.

2008 Young Scholars (Cohort 6)

Danielle A. Crosby, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies
University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Project Title: Immigrants’ Access to Public Benefits and Services Post-Reform: Missed Opportunities to Invest in Young American Children? Read More.

Steve E. Knotek, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, School Psychology
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 

Project Title: The Madres Para Ninos Program Read More.

Jin Sook Lee, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Education
University of California, Santa Barbara

Project Title: Building Language Capacity: Dual Language Development in Korean and Mexican Immigrant Children Read More.

Hanako Yoshida, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Houston

Project Title: Cognitive Consequence of Exposure to Multiple Languages Read More.

2007 Young Scholars (Cohort 5)

Dylan Conger, Ph.D.

Professor, Public Policy and Public Administration
The George Washington University

Project Title: Time to English Proficiency Among Young English Learners Read More.

Micere Keels, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Human Development
The University of Chicago

Project Title: Children’s Developing Environments Read More.

Sarah Enos Watamura, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Denver

Project Title: Physiologic Stress Reactivity Among Mexican-Origin Families Read More.

Qing Zhou, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
University of California Berkeley

Project Title: The Risk and Protective Factors for Mental Health Adjustment in 1st- and 2nd-generation Chinese American Immigrant Children Read More.

2006 Young Scholars (Cohort 4)

Charissa Cheah, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Project Title: Social Skills of Young Children of Chinese Immigrants: The Role of Sociocultural Context, Parents’ Adaptation, and Parenting Read More.

Jin Li, Ed.D.

Professor, Education and Human Development
Brown University

Project Title: Chinese Immigrant Children’s Learning Beliefs and Related Socialization at Home

Selcuk R. Sirin, Ph.D.

Professor, Applied Psychology
New York University

Project Title: Muslim Immigrant Parents Negotiating with Schools: Implications for Children Read More.

2005 Young Scholars (Cohort 3)

Ariel Kalil, Ph.D.

Professor, Public Policy
The University of Chicago

Project Title: Parental Labor Market Experiences, Investments in Children, and the Educational, Behavioral, and Physical Health Status of Immigrant Children Read More.

Yuuko Uchikoshi, Ed.D.

Professor, Education
University of California, Davis

Project Title: Early Literacy Study of Immigrant Children Read More.

Jennifer Van Hook, Ph.D.

Roy C. Buck Professor of Sociology and Demography
Pennsylvania State University

Project Title: Obesity Among Young Children of Immigrants Read More.

2004 Young Scholars (Cohort 2)

Neeraj Kaushal, Ph.D.

Professor of Social Policy
Columbia University

Project Title: Welfare Reform and Health of Children in Immigrant Families Read More.

Iliana Reyes, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Early Childhood, Education and Immigration Studies; Center for Latin American Studies
University of Arizona

Project Title: Emergent Literacy and Immigrant Children: Using Parent-Child Interactions to Foster Literacy in Spanish-Speaking Children Read More.

2003 Young Scholars (Cohort 1)

Robert L. Crosnoe, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Sociology
University of Texas at Austin

Project Title: The Developmental Trajectories of Immigrant Children: Education, Health, Parenting, and School Context Read More.

Elena L. Grigorenko, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology, University of Houston
Professor of Molecular and Human Genetics and Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine

Project Title: Risk and Protective Factors for the Development of Socio-emotional and Learning Difficulties in Children Adopted from Russia: A Multi-Group Comparison Read More.

Wen-Jui Han, Ph.D.

Professor, Silver School of Social Work
New York University

Project Title: Cognitive and Socio-Emotional Outcomes of Children of Immigrants Read More.

Krista Perreira, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Social Medicine
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Project Title: Immigrants, Parenting, and Infant/Toddler Well-Being Read More.