Professional Interests
My professional interests surround prevention programming to promote adolescent competence and well-being. In the context of this type of program, my interests span multiple areas including program evaluation, development of technology that supports data analysis, and the design and delivery of effective trainings in these areas. As an Evaluation Specialist at the EPISCenter, I am actively using my training from the Penn State Human Development and Family Studies doctorate program and loving it!
Academic Activities
2012 - Dissertation time. Topic TBD!
2011- My comprehensive exams focused on adolescent development and prevention science. Specifically, my readings and exam centered on the development of agency and of identity, their interconnected nature, and how prevention and positive youth development programs address these developmental tasks.
2010- My master's thesis entailed the development and validation of a 15-item global measure of adolescent agency that taps into intrinsic motivation, cognitive strategies, and behaviors of agency. The pilot instrument performed very well with 7th and 8th grade students who were participating in an adaptation of TimeWise, which was designed to promote physical activity during free-time.
Research Projects:
Strengthening Families in Pennsylvania Project with Dr. Doug Coatsworth
HealthWise South Africa with Dr. Ed Smith
TimeWise with Dr. Linda Caldwell
Fellowship:
Prevention and Methodology Training (PAMT) with Dr. Donna Coffman
Departmental:
Prevention Research Center
HDFS Graduate Student Steering Committee
