FPG Experts

Click on names below for more information about that person. Experts are listed in alphabetical order.
To view Experts by area of expertise, select one from the dropdown box.

Bryant, Donna, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research Professor / Education
Areas of expertise: Pre-Kindergarten; Professional Development; Program Evaluation
Other specific expertise: Preschool, child care, and early intervention/prevention programs; Child and family outcomes associated with Head Start; Social-emotional development in the Preschool years; Professional development to improve quality and effectiveness of early childhood programs; Evaluation, particulary comprehensive community/state initiatives
Burchinal, Margaret, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist, Director of Data Management Core
Research Professor / Psychology
Other specific expertise: Statistical models, especially for longitudinal data; Effects of child care on cognitive, academic, and social development; Family and school predictors of children's development outcomes for at-risk children
Buysse, Virginia, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research Associate Professor / School of Education
Other specific expertise: Developing and evaluating a model of RTI for pre-k called Recognition and Response; early language/literacy and math; Early education for Latino English language learners; Early childhood inclusion; Innovative models and resources for professional development in early childhood as part of two national centers (e.g., consultation, communities of practice); program evaluation;
Campbell, Frances, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Areas of expertise: Early Literacy
Other specific expertise: Long-term outcomes of early educational intervention for poverty children; Cognitive development; Young adulthood; Effects of poverty; School performance of poverty children; Adult adaptation; Parenting; Issues surrounding securing informed consent from vulnerable groups recruited for research.
Castro, Dina, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Scientist
Research Associate Professor / School of Education
Other specific expertise: Early childhood care and education for dual language learners; Second language acquisition and assessment of young dual language learners; Program policies and practices related to educating young Latino children; Child care choices among Latino families; Addressing diversity in early childhood education; Family involvement in early education and intervention.
Catlett, Camille, M.A.
Investigator
Investigator / FPG Child Development Institute
Other specific expertise: Preservice and inservice instructional design, delivery and evaluation; early childhood and early intervention professional development systems; Engaging and supporting family members as instructional partners; Promoting collaboration between early childhood and early intervention partners; Reflecting cultural, linguistic and ability diversity in teaching, training and daily practice.
Clifford, Richard, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Areas of expertise: Child Care Quality; FirstSchool; Pre-Kindergarten
Other specific expertise: Assessing the quality of early educational settings; financing programs and services for young children and families; Prekindergarten program design and functioning; Governance of early childhood programs; Child and family policies
Cryer, Debby, Ph.D.
Scientist
Other specific expertise: Defining and assessing the quality of early care and education settings for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers; Parent and professional perspectives on quality early childhood programming; International comparisons of child care and education quality
Gallagher, James, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist Emeritus
Kenan Professor Emeritus / Education
Areas of expertise: Early Childhood Policy
Other specific expertise: Education of exceptional children; Policy studies in early childhood; Education of gifted students
Harms, Thelma, Ph.D.
Scientist Emeritus
Research Professor / Education
Areas of expertise: Child Care Quality; Curriculum Development
Other specific expertise: Assessing the quality of early educational settings; Teacher and parent education; Early childhood curriculum policy related to early childhood education.
Maxwell, Kelly, Ph.D.
Scientist, Associate Director of FPG
Clinical Assistant Professor / Education
Other specific expertise: Evaluation of state quality improvement rating systems and other early childhood initiatives; School readiness; Prekindergarten; Developmentally appropriate practices in preschool and the early elementary grades
Odom, Sam, Ph.D.
Director of FPG
Professor / School of Education
Areas of expertise: Autism; Children with Special Needs; Inclusion
Other specific expertise: Early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder; Preschool inclusion; Research methodology and evidence-based practices; Peer relationships; Children social competence; school readiness; Ethnic and research with young children; International approaches to early intervention.
Peisner-Feinberg, Ellen, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Research Associate Professor / School of Education
Other specific expertise: Longitudinal effects of child care experiences on children's development; Quality of practices in child care centers, family child care, public preschool, and Head Start; Evaluation of early childhood programs; Family beliefs and practices
Ritchie, Sharon, Ed.D.
Senior Scientist
Senior Scientist / School of Education
Other specific expertise: Observational research-early childhood and elementary classrooms; Instrument development-for observations and program quality; Teacher preparation-PK-high school, regular and special education; Special education-emotionally disturbed, autistic children, attachment; NAEYC accreditation; Collaboration for school reform Inquiry based change in schools; PreK-3 issues; PreK-3 design; Focus on vulnerable children
Simeonsson, Rune, Ph.D.
FPG Fellow
Professor / Education
Areas of expertise: Children with Special Needs
Other specific expertise: Assessment and classification of disability; Surveillance and prevention; Evaluation of interventions
Skinner, Debra, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Adjunct Professor / Anthropology
Other specific expertise: Culture, families, & disability; Poverty studies; Sociocultural implications of genetic knowledge, technologies, and newborn screening; anthropological perspectives on child development; ethnographic and qualitative methods, anthropology of schooling, South Asian anthropology (Nepal)
Sparling, Joseph, Ph.D.
FPG Fellow
Areas of expertise: Curriculum Development
Vernon-Feagans, Lynne, Ph.D.
FPG Fellow, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor
Professor / School Of Education
Areas of expertise: Children Living in Poverty; Early Literacy
Other specific expertise: Early childhood; Language development; Otitis Media and development attention
Wasik, Barbara Hanna, Ph.D.
FPG Fellow
Professor / Education
Areas of expertise: Curriculum Development; Early Literacy
Other specific expertise: Prevention and intervention programs for young children; Social and emotional development; Problem solving and coping skills; Home visiting; classroom interventions; Family literacy
Wesley, Patricia, M.Ed.
Senior Scientist
Clinical Instructor / School of Education
Areas of expertise: Evidence-based Practice; Inclusion
Other specific expertise: Early childhood inclusion; consultation; communities of practice, evidence-based practice; technical assistance in child care programs
Winton, Pamela, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist, Director of Outreach
Research Professor / Education
Areas of expertise: Children with Special Needs; Inclusion
Other specific expertise: Professional development; Personnel preparation in early childhood and early childhood intervention; Knowledge utilization; Systems change and research and practice connections; Family-professional collaboration; Diversity, disability and inclusion