What Our ADP Students Are Doing

Prepared 5.13

Conducting Research with faculty

Examples of Ongoing Research Projects

  • Using fMRI to evaluateneurological components of reading (Linda Baker)
  • Investigating how African American, Asian American, European American, and Hispanic parents socialize their young children’s educational development. Parents’ socialization of their children’s literacy and math development, and children’s development. (Susan Sonnenschein)
  • Improving young low income children’s math skills by playing games at home (Susan Sonnenschein)
  • Studying academic attitudes, gender ideology, and ethnic identity inAfrican American, Asian American, European American, and Latino/a adolescents (Nicole Else-Quest)
  • Understanding Chinese and Korean immigrant families and their 3-5 year old children: Parents' adaptation, well-being, acculturation, social networks, and their culturally-specific parenting beliefs and behaviors are examined in relation to their preschool children's social emotional development, physical health and transition into American society (Charissa Cheah)
  • Studying the positive outcomes of emerging adults across various countries: This project examines and compares the development of emerging adults (18 to 25 year olds) in several different countries, and the individual, relationship, and familial factors that contribute to their outcomes, including risk behaviors, mental health, and academic performance (Charissa Cheah).
  • Evaluating the GOALS Program: The GOALS program teaches young children social competence and school readiness. It involves a curriculum of teacher-delivered lessons and a website to engage parents. Evaluation of teacher and parent engagement with the lessons and child outcomes is ongoing and involves child assessments, classroom observations, and parent interviews and surveys. (David Schultz).

Examples of Theses, Research Competencies and Dissertations Currently in Progress

  • Maria Finger Elam.The impact of parent involvement/education programs on parent involvement and subsequent student achievement
  • Wei Yu.Predictors of social withdrawal and internalizing problems in Chinese floating population children
  • Rose Belanger. Risk and resilience for postpartum depression (ppd) in a preterm sample
  • Laura Scaletti.Differential Susceptibility in Prenatally Drug Exposed Youth: Caregiving Behaviors as a Moderator of Socioemotional Reactivity over Time
  • Manica Ramos. Motivators and Barriers to Latino Parents' Traditional and Non-Traditional Forms of Parental Involvement
  • Shari Metzger. The relation between Young Children’s Productive Disposition and their Home-based Math Experiences

Disseminating their Research Findings

Presenting at National and International Conferences

  • Society for Research in Child Development
  • Society for Research in Adolescence
  • Society for Prevention Research
  • Association for Behavioral Analysis
  • American Psychological Association
  • American Educational Research Association
  • Association for Psychological Sciences
  • International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development
  • Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
  • Head Start
  • And others

Publishing Papers and Program Evaluations

  • In peer-reviewed journals
  • Program evaluations
  • Book chapters
  • And others

Applying their Knowledge to Real Life Activities

Examples of Practica

  • Conducting assessments of infants and toddlers and planning interventions at University of Maryland’s NICU and Follow-Up Clinic
  • Planning/implementing workshops and programs for BaltimoreCity and Baltimore County Head Start teachers and administrators to foster children’s development
  • Implementing and consulting with teachers about the GOALS Program, a program designed to foster children’s social-emotional development and academic readiness, at Baltimore City Head Start centers
  • Assessing adolescents’ literacy skills as part of a project designed to improve these adolescents’ literacy competencies
  • Implementing a remedial program for adolescents who are identified with severe reading disabilities
  • Helping coordinate a conference at NICHD and produce a published proceedings on literacy development in bilingual children
  • Participating in the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program in Anne Arundel County Public Schools- -helping middle and high school students successfully prepare themselves for college
  • Working in the CHOICE program with at-risk high school students
  • Conducting workshops on the development of math competencies for teachers in Baltimore County Public Schools
  • Conducting assessments for learning and behavioral difficulties in Baltimore City Public Schools
  • Managing compliance with Individual Educational Programs in Baltimore City Public Schools in a class of middle school students identified as having emotional/behavioral difficulties
  • Conducting an anger management program with middle school girls
  • Working at Advocates for Children and Youth assisting in the development, implementation and evaluation of policies pertinent to children’s wellbeing
  • Working at University of Maryland Medical Center’s NICU and NICU Follow-Up centers conducting assessments of infants and toddlers and making referrals for remedial programs
  • Reviewing availability of mental health services for refugees for the Maryland Office of New Americans (MONA), under Department of Health and Human Services
  • Working in the Mayor’s Office of Community and Human Development to explore community intervention programs available to children at-risk for difficulties in school
  • Working at the American Psychological Association exploring policy implications of health issues
  • Working at the Urban Institute preparing policy briefs on issues pertinent to immigrants and their families
  • Working at the Maryland State Department of Education on curriculum development and assessment
  • Facilitating workshops and training sessions at The Family Tree, Maryland’s leading child abuse and neglect prevention organization
  • Conducting assessments with UMBC Student Affairs

Teaching Courses

Courses Recently Taught

  • Psyc 100 (Introduction to Psychology)
  • Psyc 200 (Developmental Psychology)
  • Psyc 230 (Psychology and Culture)
  • Psyc 330 (Development and Culture)
  • Psyc 331 (Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis I)
  • Psyc 332 (Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis II)
  • Psyc 393 (Parenting)

Graduate Student Teaching Fellows

  • Jessica Becraft (2013-2014)
  • Laura Rose (2013-2014)
  • Nan Zhou (2013-2014)

Winning Awards & Honors

Recent Awardees

  • Adia Garrett (2007). UMBC Dissertation Fellowship
  • Adia Garrett (2007). American Educational Research Association/Institute of Educational Sciences Dissertation Fellowship
  • Andrew Yu (2007, 2009) Bronfenbrenner Travel Award for attendance at meetings of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
  • Christy Leung (2008). Society for Research in Adolescence, Junior Mentor Award
  • Kelly Sheperd (2008). Society for Research in Adolescence, Junior Mentor Award
  • Madiha Tahseen (2008). 1st Prize UMBC Graduate Student Research Conference
  • Kelly Sheperd (2008). UMBC Graduate Student Association Jessica Soto-Perez Annual Memorial Award (Honorable Mention)
  • Sevgi Bayram Ozdemir (2009). SRCD Travel Award, Bronfenbrenner Travel Award for attendance at meetings of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
  • Christy Leung (2009). SRCD Travel Award
  • Stacy Buckingham Howes (2009). SRCD Travel Award
  • Manica Ramos (2009) Latino Caucus Travel Award for attendance at SRCD
  • Joy Thompson (2009) Latino Caucus Travel Award for attendance at SRCD
  • Kelly Sheperd (2009, 2010). 1st Prize UMBC Graduate Student Research Conference; Inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, Golden Key Honor Societies
  • Joy Thompson (2009). APA’s Public Interest Policy Intern (for 2009-2010)
  • Joy Thompson (2009). Bronfenbrenner Travel Award for attendance at meetings of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
  • Amber Mendres (2010). Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis Student Award
  • Amber Mendres (2010). UMBC Graduate Student Association Research Grant
  • Kelly Todd Schmidt (2010). UMBC Dissertation Fellowship
  • Sevgi Bayram Ozdemir (2010). Jacobs Foundation Young Scholar Travel Award for attendance at ISSBD
  • Christy Leung (2010). Jacobs Foundation Young Scholar Travel for attendance at ISSBD
  • Nan Zhou (2010). Jacobs Foundation Young Scholar Award to attend the 2010 ISSBD Meeting in Lusaka;
  • Nan Zhou ((2011, 2012) 1st Prize UMBC Graduate Student Research Conference
  • Sevgi Bayram Ozdemir (2011-12). UMBC Dissertation Fellowship
  • Manica Ramos (June, 2012). Edward Zigler Graduate Student Award
  • Manica Ramos (2009-2012)Joint Program in Survey Methodology Fellowship
  • Christy Leung (2013). UMBC Dissertation Fellowship; Outstanding Graduate Student Research Award from SRCD’s Asian Caucus
  • Nicole Hausman (2013). APA’s Div 25 SEAB Dissertation Award in Applied Behavior Analysis

And Other Things…

  • Serving as student reviewers for journals
  • Serving on boards of professional and civic organizations

1