Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research |
|
|
Partner Spotlight
First Five Nebraska
First Five Nebraska is a team of professionals with combined experience in government relations, data analysis and strategic communications.
Created in 2011, First Five Nebraska was the state's first organization to focus exclusively on advancing early childhood care and learning opportunities through policy change, strategic partnerships and public education.
The organization works to spark productive conversations that lead to innovative, well-informed public policies that expand high-quality early developmental experiences for children throughout Nebraska.
Current First Five Nebraska initiatives include:
- Expanding equitable access to high-quality programs that support the unique developmental needs of children from the prenatal period through age 3.
- Encouraging employers and industry leaders to invest in their community’s early childhood infrastructure by partnering with or otherwise promoting local, high-quality child-care programs.
- Aligning early childhood systems and funding at the state and local levels to increase the reach, efficiency and effectiveness of services.
- Supporting the early childhood workforce by making early care and education a more rewarding, viable career path with realistic opportunities for professional development.
- Investigating the broad-scale impact of early childhood services — particularly quality child care — on Nebraska business and industry, workforce attraction and retention, and economic development.
First Five Nebraska's online Legislative Tracker enables advocates and other stakeholders to stay up to date on public policies affecting early childhood including the child care subsidy, maternal and child health, funding of early childhood services, economic development and a wide range of related issues.
First Five Nebraska has championed many of the state's most significant early child developments, including strengthening services for toddlers, improving quality and accountability in child care, and elevating early childhood in economic development.
The organization is an invaluable resource for the research and policy communities and co-sponsors the CYFS Summit on Research in Early Childhood. In fall 2019, NAECR and First Five Nebraska partnered to launch the NAECR Policy Fellows program. The program brings together early childhood researchers at NU and First Five Nebraska experts to educate researchers on policy processes, impacts and relationships to research; provide insight into NU's early childhood research; and create connections and collaborations among the research and policy communities.
Elizabeth Everett Lopez, deputy director and public policy manager of First Five Nebraska, will be the featured speaker at the April 19 NAECR Networking event on connecting early childhood policy and research. She will be joined by members of the first NAECR policy fellows cohort to discuss the policy process, current early childhood policy priorities and adapting research approaches to better engage with policymakers.
|
|
NAECR co-hosts virtual social hour at SRCD meeting |
|
CEHS Dean Sherri Jones provided updates on the university, and discussed the importance of early childhood and how it permeates so many research areas. She noted that early childhood is a grand challenge idea at UNL and an initiative in the NU system, and that it has been a successful year for grantsmanship and research activities.
The group played some UNL trivia and networked in smaller groups.
Cary Savage, director of the Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior, said he appreciated the event.
"I have participated in many virtual socials during the pandemic, and this was the most enjoyable and entertaining of the year," he said. "It was particularly nice to connect with new and old colleagues from the College of Education and Human Sciences."
The social hour was sponsored by:
- Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior
- College of Education and Human Sciences
- Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies
- Department of Educational Psychology
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders
- Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research
- Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools
|
|
Student opportunities: Fall 2021 postdoctoral RAs |
|
Two Fall 2021 postdoctoral research associate opportunities are available.
Interested applicants should contact Timothy Nelson, professor of psychology and DCNL director, at tnelson3@unl.edu.
|
|
The Early Childhood Education Journal
seeks submissions for special issue, book chapters
The Early Childhood Education Journal has proposed two projects: 1) a special issue of Early Childhood Education Journal, and 2) an edited book on COVID-19 for the series, Educating the Young Child.
The Journal is seeking submissions that address the effects of COVID-19 on young children, families, and early education and care.
Abstracts for the special issue are due Sept. 10.
Abstracts for book chapters are due Oct. 15.
|
|
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health seeks submissions for special issue
The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is welcoming paper submissions for a special issue on the promotion of physical activity in early childhood.
The issue welcomes papers addressing aspects of the development of physical activity in early childhood in a multitude of areas. New research papers, reviews, methodological papers and brief reports are eligible to submit.
The submission deadline is July 31, 2021.
|
|
NAECR can help connect you with research staff
NAECR can help connect researchers with trained, experienced research staff. If you are in need of research staff for a current or upcoming project, contact Sommer Fousek at sfousek2@unl.edu.
|
|
Here are recent publications from NAECR researchers:
Tiffany Moore, Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center
|
|
Would you like to see your work featured here? Contact us at naecr@unl.edu
|
|
NAECR can assist you in finding research partners for your funding applications and staff in CYFS are available to assist with your proposal development for these or other funding opportunities.
Please contact Lisa Knoche if you are interested in building a collaborative team, need assistance with proposal development or would like to discuss funding opportunities for your research.
|
|
New! Student Funding: Student and Early Career Council Dissertation Research Funding Awards
The Student and Early Career Committee of the Society for Research in Child Development has announced a competition for graduate student dissertation research funding. Awards are given to doctoral students for dissertation research proposals that merit special recognition and display strong potential to contribute to the field of child development.
Award budget: Up to $2000
Proposal due date: May 1, 2021
|
|
New! Notice of Special Interest: COVID-19 Related School Disruptions Impact on Mental Health, Cognitive, Social and Emotional Development of Children
The National Institute of Mental Health has issued a notice of special interest to highlight interest in research to understand the mental health impact of COVID-19 on school-aged children, specifically ages 3-12.
There is particular interest in the impact of primary instruction settings disruptions on the mental health, cognitive, social and emotional development of children.
First proposal due date: June 5, 2021
|
|
NIH Grants to Add or Expand Research Focused on Maternal Health, Structural Racism and Discrimination, and COVID-19
The NIH has issued a notice of special interest for administrative supplements and urgent competitive revisions to existing NIH grants and cooperative agreements.
They are accepting applications to understand the effects of COVID-19 on maternal mental health, well-being, functioning and quality of life; identify psychosocial and behavioral health risk factors related to COVID-19 that affect maternal mental health and functioning outcomes; and address the impact of structural racism and discrimination on maternal health outcomes in the context of COVID-19.
Proposal due date: This Wednesday, April 14, 2021
|
|
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Equity-Focused Policy Research: Building Cross-Cutting Evidence on Supports for Families with Young Children
The Equity-Focused Policy Research grant program seeks to fund a body of research that illuminates strategies and policies that enhance families’ equitable access to key resources for supporting their children’s healthy development.
Estimated award budget: $50,000 - $200,000
Full proposal due date: May 11, 2021
|
|
The Gerber Foundation
The mission of the Gerber Foundation is to enhance the quality of life of infants and young children in nutrition, care and development. The foundation funds projects focused on the following research areas: new diagnostic tools; new treatment regimens; symptom relief; preventative measures; assessment of deficiencies or excesses; and/or risk assessment tools or measures for environmental hazards, trauma, etc.
Concept paper due date: May 15, 2021
|
|
Student funding! Administration for Children and Families Graduate Student Dissertation Grants
Behavioral Interventions Scholars Grants
Estimated award budget: $20,000 - $25,000
Estimated proposal due date: May 20, 2021
|
|
Funding Forecast: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Early Intervention to Promote Cardiovascular Health of Mothers and Children
NHLBI has forecasted a funding opportunity announcement for Early Intervention to Promote Cardiovascular Health of Mothers and Children (ENRICH). Applications should propose to test the effectiveness of an implementation-ready intervention designed to determine if a cardiovascular health (CVH) promotion module delivered within the context of a home visiting program can enhance maternal and early childhood CVH, and address CVH disparities in mothers and children (0-5 years).
The study population includes those who are of low socioeconomic status, or live in low-resource or underserved rural or urban communities, or in diverse geographic regions of the U.S. with a high burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Estimated proposal due date: June 22, 2021
|
|
International Society for Developmental Psychobiology
Call for Proposals
Nov. 10-12, 2021
Chicago and Virtual
The International Society for Developmental Psychobiology is accepting proposals for symposia for the 2021 annual meeting. The event will be held in a hybrid format.
Proposals due date: This Tuesday, April 15, 2021
|
|
2021 Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference
Sept. 27, 2021
Virtual
The Buffett Early Childhood Institute will virtually host the 2021 Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference.
The conference is free and intended for community leaders, including those in education, economic development, child care, business, government, health care, higher education and philanthropy. Attendees will learn about key research, program, policy and outreach aspects of high-quality early childhood education programs and services and their important role in economic development.
|
|
MAP Academy Spring 2021 Methodological Applications Series
This Friday, April 16, 2021
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Virtual
Lorey Wheeler, co-director of the Nebraska Academy of Methodology, Analytics and Psychometrics, leads the final virtual presentation of the MAP Academy’s Spring 2021 Methodology Applications Series.
|
|
NAECR Networking:
Connecting Early Childhood Policy and Research
Monday, April 19, 2021
11 a.m. – Noon
Virtual via Zoom
How can a better understanding of the policy process enhance your research? Elizabeth Everett Lopez of First Five Nebraska and members of the first NAECR Policy Fellows cohort will discuss the policy process, early childhood policy priorities and how to adapt your research approach to better engage with policymakers.
The event is free, but registration is required. Contact Sommer Fousek with questions at sfousek2@unl.edu.
|
|
Is there an upcoming conference you want to publicize? A new publication you would like to share? Let us know! |
|
Connecting Research and Policy
Learn more and sign up for alerts about legislation relevant to early childhood researchers.
|
|
NAECR Student Researchers
Students involved in early childhood research at the University of Nebraska can access a number of resources through NAECR.
|
|
Find a Researcher
Find and collaborate with other early childhood researchers across the NU system.
|
|
NAECR News archives available
|
|
NAECR News will be shared twice a month to inform the early childhood research community across the NU system.
If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to be added to the mailing list, please email us using the button above.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
