What Our ADP Students Are Doing
Prepared 5.13
www.umbc.edu/psyc/adp
Conducting Research with faculty
Examples of Ongoing Research Projects
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Using fMRI to evaluate neurological components of reading (Linda Baker)
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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)
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Improving young low income children’s math skills by playing games
at home (Susan Sonnenschein)
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Studying academic attitudes, gender ideology, and ethnic identity in
African American, Asian American, European American, and Latino/a
adolescents (Nicole Else-Quest)
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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)
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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).
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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
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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 Baltimore City 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
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Assessing adolescents’ literacy skills as part of a project designed to improve
these adolescents’ literacy competencies
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Implementing a remedial program for adolescents who are identified with severe
reading disabilities
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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
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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 SotoPerez 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
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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
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