Several faculty members who recently received promotions and named appointments will return to campus this fall with added distinction. Larissa Duncan and Kevin Ponto were promoted to professor, and Margaret Kerr, David J. Pate Jr. …
Human Development & Family Studies
Researcher Spotlights: Margaret Kerr on taking the pressure out of parenting and promoting family resiliency
Researcher Spotlights are Q&As that shine a light on School of Human Ecology faculty members’ unique scholarship and research interests. Margaret Kerr, an assistant professor of Human Development & Family Studies, examines emotional experiences in …
Research Insights: Autistic children’s mental health affected by the quality of their parents’ romantic relationships, mental health — and vice versa
A note on language: There is not a consensus on what terms to use when talking about autism (also called autism spectrum disorder). This interview will use identity-first language (i.e. “autistic child”) as this is …
Helping people find hope: Meet Nastassia Satahoo
Nastassia Satahoo ‘17 is a therapist for Rogers Behavioral Health in Milwaukee. In this Q&A conversation, Satahoo shares what she values most about her work and how her educational experience in the Human Development & …
In the news: Human ecologists share insights to improve public understanding of key issues
At the core of Human Ecology’s work is improving the quality of life of all people. In 2023, faculty and graduate students published research findings that are enhancing our understanding of key societal issues, from …
A year in pictures: Human Ecology in 2023
Story by Maddie Kranz x’24, a UW–Madison student studying Community & Nonprofit Leadership and Art History. So much to celebrate! Human Ecology kicked off 2023 with two of our majors landing on the list of …
Madison schools want to transform food programs (The Cap Times; Gaddis, Kerr and Human Ecology graduate students)
Associate Professor of Civil Society & Community Studies Jennifer Gaddis discusses how she, Human Development & Family Studies Assistant Professor Margaret Kerr and Human Ecology graduate students are working with the Madison Metropolitan School District to better understand emotions around school food and the choice to participate or not in school food programs.
Milwaukee homicides 4th most in nation per capita: study (FOX6 News Milwaukee; Thomas)
Assistant Professor of Human Development & Family Studies Alvin Thomas discusses ways the city of Milwaukee could improve the well-being of its citizens — things like mental health resources and access to jobs — to try and bring down the number of homicides and serious crimes in the city.
Should You Delete Your Kid’s TikTok This Week? (The Atlantic and MSN; Kirkorian)
Department Chair and Professor of Human Development & Family Studies Heather Kirkorian is quoted about the need to protect younger children from potentially upsetting material about the Israel-Hamas conflict and, in general, determining the appropriate age and development level for children to have access to a smartphone.
New program helps improve toddlers’ self-control skills and healthy eating habits (EurekAlert!/American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and other news outlets; Nix)
Professor of Human Development & Family Studies Robert Nix writes about a recent study he conducted with other researchers that found that Early Head Start home visiting program Recipe 4 Success helped toddlers learn important self-control skills and healthy eating habits.