is the world鈥檚 largest technical professional organization and is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. IEEE’s ICDL is a unique meeting of researchers from聽computer science,聽robotics,聽psychology,聽neuroscience and other disciplines to share and discuss research on how humans and other animals learn and develop and how this can inform and be informed by robotics and machine learning systems. The conference was held at聽the faculty of electrical engineering, at the Czech Technical University.

Gilbert presented a co-authored poster with Perkins and collaborator (University of Tennessee Knoxville) titled, 鈥淧lay by Play: Interacting with Targets from Crawling to Walking.鈥� The work, which is still ongoing, uses network analyses to capture infants’ shifts from one target to another during free play sessions across the first two years of life.

Travel to the conference was supported by 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Undergraduate Research Program, and the Psychology Department. Mentored students in the Infant Development Lab come from a variety of diverse backgrounds and go on to graduate and professional programs.聽The Infant Development Lab focuses on understanding how infants acquire postural and locomotor skills such as sitting, reaching, crawling and walking in the first two years of life.

This research is an extension of on how motor development affects infants’ interactions with their wider environments.

Seena Granowsky Outstanding Student in Psychology Award

Kenan Carter 鈥�25 and Henry Searle 鈥�25 were both selected to聽receive the Seena Granowsky Outstanding Student in Psychology Award. This award is the highest student honor for the department and recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown outstanding academic achievement and service to the field of psychology through internships, research, or participation in psychology organizations.

Kenan Carter

Kenan Carter has participated in three different research projects in the Infant Development Lab, but also dedicated energy to her main projects on how parents support infant motor development in indoor and outdoor spaces, which she recently presented at a regional conference.

鈥淎s our longest-standing lab member, she is a leader and role model, and her passion for psychology has noticeably extended into her service as the president of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Psychology Club,鈥� said Associate Professor Sabrina Thurman, who is also Carter’s mentor.

Carter has also served as a health promotion and education intern in physical therapy offices, a youth yoga instructor and a (non-contact) boxing intern to support youth physical and mental well-being.

Henry Searle

At 黑料不打烊, Henry Searle has conducted two empirical studies, presented his work at two professional conferences (one of which was international), is an author on a manuscript currently under review at a high-impact, peer-reviewed journal and has a second manuscript in preparation for submission.

鈥淓ach of these achievements is a testament to Henry鈥檚 intellectual curiosity, initiative and perseverance,” said his mentor Assistant Professor Katrina Jongman-Sereno. “In addition to his research accomplishments, Henry is collaborative, thoughtful, reliable and kind.鈥�

Research Excellence in Psychology Award

Nick Dilley 鈥�25 and Ryan McKenna 鈥�25 were both selected to receive the聽Research Excellence in Psychology Award. This award recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown excellence in commitment to the undergraduate research process through the completion of either independent or collaborative research that contributes to the field of psychology.

Nick Dilley

During his time at 黑料不打烊, Nick Dilley designed and conducted two experiments, one of which incorporated three trained research actors in an in-person collaborative task, an effort that required extensive time in the lab.聽His work has been recognized with the prestigious Rawls Endowed Grant and has led to two conference presentations that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. He has expanded his work into the classroom as a teaching and learning apprentice as well.

“Nick鈥檚 intellectual curiosity and deep commitment to the research process were complemented by his leadership, as he mentored and coordinated the research assistants involved in his study,” said Erika Lopina, associate professor and Dilley’s mentor. “Beyond the lab, Nick has been an engaged and valued student of the psychology department, serving as a major peer advisor and representing the department at university admissions events. Nick has an unmatched work ethic and a delightful sense of humor!”

Ryan McKenna

Ryan McKenna’s research focuses on intrasexual competition and sexual overperception,聽applying Signal Detection Theory to understand how women may overperceive other women鈥檚 sexual interest as a derogation strategy. He has coauthored three encyclopedia articles on related topics, presented his research at two professional conferences as well as SURF Day, and is now working on a manuscript to submit for publication. McKenna has now been accepted into a cognitive psychology doctoral program this fall. His mentor, Assistant Professor Jordann Brandner describes him as a “dedicated, intellectually curious scholar.”

“He critically engages with the literature in the field to develop hypotheses and research designs that will contribute meaningfully to the field. He is a leader in the lab, guiding newer students through the creation of research protocols, teaching them to run participants for data collection, and helping them improve their scientific writing,” said Brandner.

Community Engagement Excellence in Psychology Award聽

Olivia Lancashire

Olivia Lancashire 鈥�25 received the Community Engagement Excellence in Psychology Award. This award recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown excellence in commitment to applying knowledge of psychology in the community through participation in internships, service learning, or other service projects.

During her internships with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Dallas Fort Worth Angels, she provided direct support to individuals facing mental health challenges and foster care instability, gaining firsthand experience in crisis intervention and community outreach. Her work with NAMI deepened her understanding of the urgent need for accessible mental health resources, while her time with the Dallas Fort Worth Angels strengthened her skills in providing emotional support to vulnerable populations. She will begin a master’s program this fall in clinical mental health counseling.

鈥淥livia exemplifies a dedication to applying psychology in real-world settings. Not only is she curious and hard-working in class, but she has a deep commitment to using psychology to help others through mental health advocacy,” said Brandner, her mentor. “Through these (internship) experiences, Olivia has not only applied psychological principles in real-world settings but has also demonstrated compassion, leadership and a commitment to improving the lives of others.”

In this empirical report, Thurman and Rose tracked how gains in pull-to-stand, standing and walking experience contributed to infants鈥� selection of more skilled pull-to-stand strategies and reorganized how infants used pull-to-stand behaviors to facilitate free play. They found even after months of practice pulling-to-stand, infants continue to modify their arm and leg movements and use various strategies to pull up. Infants also seem to use pull-to-stand differently during play as they gain experience over time, first to engage with objects and later to move about a play space. This research highlights the importance of studying coordination patterns of pull-to-stand in context.

Thurman is an active mentor of undergraduate research, a research seminar leader for the Center for Engaged Learning’s 2023-2025 research seminar on , and is the director of the聽 at 黑料不打烊. Thurman initially met Rose in 2021 when Rose was an undergraduate student at the university. Rose was an 黑料不打烊 College Fellow and joined Thurman’s research team as a mentee during her sophomore year, where she contributed to several research studies on infant motor development. Rose

began this research on infant’s pull-to-stand behaviors during her time at 黑料不打烊 and presented her work at the biennial conference for the in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2023. Rose completed requirements for the research project and 黑料不打烊 College Fellows, and graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 2023.

The journey to publishing this research took a considerable amount of time, and聽Thurman and Rose continued to collaborate and deepen this project after Rose’s graduation.聽They completed a range of new analyses beyond those included in Rose’s Fellows research, which required thorough literature reviews and meticulous data interpretation. Before finalizing the publication, Thurman and Rose also presented their work at two major professional conferences聽in 2024 at the in Austin, Texas, and at the in Glasgow, Scotland. These presentations played a critical role in enhancing the project. The feedback they received from these conference presentations provided invaluable insights that helped refine their analyses and strengthened the article鈥檚 overall impact.

Altogether, this research project took Thurman and Rose four years to complete. This is not uncommon for developmental research projects that involve behavioral video coding, which requires researchers to watch recorded infant behaviors and mark moments of interest for analysis using specialized software. This work requires strong perseverance, high attention to detail and refinement which meant the road to publication was a long journey, but it paid off and resulted in a meaningful mentored research study that advanced both student learning and the field of infant motor development.

Families who participate may聽enjoy reflecting on their baby鈥檚 development, which could inspire them to learn more about their child鈥檚 behaviors. In addition, findings from this study will help聽clinicians understand infant motor development. Families will be compensated for their time with gift cards valuing up to $120 ($20 for each session), a scrapbook souvenir and a certificate of completion at the end of the study. Let’s make baby steps towards big discoveries together!

If you or someone you know is interested in participating, or if you聽have additional questions about the study, please sign up using the form . You can also email us at聽infantlab@elon.edu聽or聽.

Your support of this project helps expand educational opportunities for undergraduate students in the Infant Development Laboratory by helping them gain valuable experiential learning in research at 黑料不打烊. The Infant Development Lab is directed by聽Associate Professor of Psychology Sabrina Thurman.

Scholars have frequently compared classifications of parenting styles used in developmental psychology with teaching styles in various educational settings. Thurman鈥檚 article focuses on applying one modern parenting style called 鈥渞espectful caregiving鈥� to teaching approaches centered on advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education contexts. She explores four major principles from respectful caregiving in relation to teaching college students: (1) showing respect for students, (2) embracing student鈥檚 uniqueness, (3) exhibiting empathy for student鈥檚 emotional experiences and (4) emphasizing equality with students.

Thurman first explains each principle in the context of respectful caregiving then applies them to teaching in university contexts. She provides practical teaching examples of each principle while making connections with the existing literature on adult education and culturally responsive, inclusive teaching practices. Respectful teaching principles highlighted in the article can be used to support and empower diverse learners in gaining confidence, knowledge, and practical skills to enact meaningful and relevant social change.

to learn more.

Thurman has published research on using respectful and inclusive practices in , and has contributed blog posts to the Center for Engaged Learning on supporting students鈥� success, including and .

• What do fathers believe about their role in shaping their baby’s motor development?
• How do fathers’ beliefs shape their daily caregiving practices with their babies?
• How do fathers’ caregiving practices impact infant motor development?

This study can be completed fully online. Fathers will first be asked to participate in an interview conversation over Zoom with a researcher, which may take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Afterwards, fathers will be invited to participate in an online survey. The survey can be completed on the participant鈥檚 own time and should take around 30 minutes. To be eligible for the study, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are an adult at least 18 years of age
• You are an English-speaking resident of the USA
• You are a father of a 1- to 10-month-old infant
• Your infant is your first-born child

Fathers who participate may聽enjoy reflecting on their baby鈥檚 development, which could inspire them to learn more about their child鈥檚 behaviors. In addition, findings from this study will help聽clinicians understand fathers鈥� beliefs about infant motor development, and the impact those beliefs may have on the effectiveness of interventions and subsequently infants鈥� motor habits. Fathers will be compensated for their time and responses with gift cards valuing up to $20 ($10 upon completion of the interview, $10 following completion of the survey)

If you or someone you know is interested in participating, or if you have additional questions about the study, please email us at聽infantlab@elon.edu聽or聽).

Your support of this project helps expand educational opportunities for undergraduate students in the Infant Development Laboratory by helping them gain valuable experiential learning in research at 黑料不打烊. The Infant Development Lab is directed by Associate Professor of Psychology Sabrina Thurman.

Sophia Templeton ’23 received the Seena Granowsky Outstanding Student in Psychology Award. This award recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown outstanding academic achievement and service to the field of psychology through internships, research, or participation in psychology organizations. She was nominated by her mentor, Professor Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, who said in her nomination, 鈥淪ophia is an聽Odyssey Scholar and an Honors Fellow who has made significant contributions to our department and the university throughout her four years at 黑料不打烊. In her honors thesis research, Sophia conducted a mixed-methods study, with surveys, interviews, and a curriculum activity, to examine the ways that parents and preschool teachers facilitate connections between children鈥檚 learning at home and in preschool.

“What I particularly love about Sophia鈥檚 research is that she dreamed of making a difference with her research and was able to enact this goal. Sophia presented her research at the Southeastern Psychological Association and is working on a manuscript for publication. In addition to her extensive research experiences, Sophia actively serves as a near-peer mentor for new psychology majors and honors fellows, as well as teens in the Village Project. Sophia has contributed significantly to our campus community through these and many other efforts.鈥�

Tiffany Pham ’23聽received the聽Research Excellence in Psychology Award. This award recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown excellence in commitment to the undergraduate research process through the completion of either independent or collaborative research that contributes to the field of psychology. She was nominated by her mentor, Assistant Professor Sabrina Thurman, who said in her nomination, 鈥淪ince she began, Tiffany has logged over 700 hours of research work, and her dedication to research is apparent. She has applied for and received Undergraduate Research Program Grant-in-Aid funds, was recognized as a Provost Scholar, and has presented her research at national undergraduate and international professional conferences.

“Across these endeavors, Tiffany has brought a patient, informed, and critical eye to her research. She goes far beyond simply following directions, and seeks to understand her research thoroughly. I have been consistently impressed with Tiffany鈥檚 attention to detail, dedication to her work, high degree of professionalism, and skill in taking ownership of her project. On top of all this, she is an extremely pleasant person to collaborate with 鈥� she is a cheerful, kind, and highly valued member of my research team. I will certainly miss seeing her in our lab meetings after she graduates from 黑料不打烊!鈥�

Jenna Sudol received the Community Engagement Excellence in Psychology Award. This award recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown excellence in commitment to applying knowledge of psychology in the community through participation in internships, service learning, or other service projects.

She was nominated by her mentor, Assistant Professor Ilyssa Salomon, who said in her nomination, 鈥淛enna has been a trip leader for 黑料不打烊 Outdoors for two and a half years, and she has a true passion for adventure-based learning. She was able to channel that interest into an original research project exploring the impact of social media use on the relationship between physical activity and mental health. It’s amazing to see Jenna share her appreciation for nature with other students and she has done an excellent job integrating that experience into her honors research project. I know she will continue inspiring others when she leaves 黑料不打烊 and I look forward to seeing her thrive!鈥�

Congratulations Sophia, Tiffany, and Jenna, on this achievement and thank you for all your hard work!

Assistant Professor of Psychology Sabrina Thurman directs the Infant Development Lab, which focuses on understanding how infants acquire postural and locomotor skills such as sitting, reaching, crawling and walking in the first two years of life. In Spring 2023, lab members include Provost Scholar Tiffany Pham 鈥�23, 黑料不打烊 College Fellow Becca Rose ’23, Hannah Higgins 鈥�23 and 黑料不打烊 College Fellow Parker Fairfield 鈥�24.

Lab members Pham and Rose attended and presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, which was held March 23-25 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Attendance at the conference averages 6,500 and includes professionals and graduate students in psychology, human development, family studies, education, public policy, sociology, social work, psychiatry, pediatrics and public health.

Conference topics span from prenatal development to adolescence. Pham presented a poster titled, 鈥淢other and infant contributions to maintaining physical closeness during play: A longitudinal study,鈥� and Rose presented a poster titled, 鈥淪trategy Use in Infant Pull-to-Stand Behaviors: A Longitudinal Investigation.”

Lab members Higgins and Fairfield attended and presented at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, which was held April 5-8 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

SEPA is the largest psychological organization in the southeast and one of largest in the United States. The purpose of SEPA is to advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human welfare. Their poster was titled 鈥淧arental beliefs about motor development and practices to support infants in indoor and outdoor environments.鈥�

Thurman鈥檚 research students benefitted from networking and professional development opportunities at both conferences. Student travel to these conferences was supported by the Undergraduate Research Program, 黑料不打烊 College Fellows, and the Psychology Department. Mentored students in the Infant Development Lab come from a variety of diverse backgrounds and go on to graduate and professional programs.

Thurman has published on , , and is currently serving as a Co-Guest Editor for a special issue of Perspectives on Undergraduate Research Mentoring, on mentoring undergraduate research during times of uncertainty.

This award recognizes a senior psychology major who has shown outstanding academic achievement and service to the field of psychology. The award is given in honor of Seena Granowsky who founded the Psychology Department in 1988. Granowsky was a superb colleague and faculty member. Her long record of strong teaching was recognized with the Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching. In addition to her long service to the Psychology Department, Granowsky also played an integral role in the development of the Women鈥檚 and Gender Studies Program and the Department of Education.

Feiner was nominated by her research mentor, Assistant Professor Sabrina Thurman, who shared this in her nomination: 鈥淭hroughout our time working together, I have been wholly impressed with Grace鈥檚 intellectual curiosity, dedication, precision in all her experiences at 黑料不打烊. For years, she has thoughtfully capitalized on educational opportunities at 黑料不打烊 and beyond to build a skill set intentionally designed to prepare her for her future. Her graduate and professional goals involve providing intensive support, Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, and similar evidence-based treatments and interventions to infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities.鈥�

Congratulations Grace on your remarkable achievements and thank you for all your hard work!

The Infant Development Lab at 黑料不打烊 is conducting a study to understand the relationship between parental beliefs about motor development in infancy and infants鈥� motor behaviors. Parents who participate may聽enjoy reflecting on their baby鈥檚 development, which could inspire them to learn more about their child鈥檚 behaviors. In addition, findings from this cross-cultural study will help聽clinicians understand parents鈥� beliefs about infant motor development, and the impact those beliefs may have on the effectiveness of interventions and subsequently infants鈥� motor habits.

This research is being conducted as a part of a collaborative project out of Utrecht University. Participants are asked to complete an online survey, which can be filled out in about 30 minutes, in one session. To be eligible for the study, you must meet the following criteria:

• You are an adult at least 18 years of age
• You are an English-speaking resident of the USA
• You are the parent of a 1- to 7-month-old infant
• Your infant is your first-born child

If you are interested in participating, or if you have additional questions about the study, please email us at infantlab@elon.edu or ).

Your support of this project helps expand educational opportunities for undergraduate students in the Infant Development Laboratory by helping them gain valuable experiential learning in research at 黑料不打烊. The Infant Development Lab is directed by Assistant Professor of Psychology Sabrina Thurman.