Erikson faculty are available to speak to reporters on a range of issues in child development and education, including federal education policy; testing and assessment; infant mental health; the role of culture in child development and education; universal preschool; credentialing of teachers; pre-K–3 schools; child and family policy; child abuse and neglect; literacy and numeracy; bilingual education; and the recruitment of nontraditional candidates to the field of education.

Consult the list below for more topics of expertise.
To contact any faculty member, please call Pat Nedeau at (312) 893-7160.

Barbara T. Bowman, M.A.
Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development 
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    Assessment of children's learning 
    Bilingual education 
    Chicago Public Schools 
    Child care 
    Early childhood education 
    Education of poor and minority children 
    Moral development of children 
    Recruitment and retention of teachers 
    Role of grandparents 
    State and federal education policies 
    Teacher education 
    Technology in the public schools 
    Training of early childhood professionals 
    Universal preschool

Jie-Qi Chen, Ph.D., Professor 
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    Assessment of children's learning 
    Cognitive development 
    Computers in the classroom 
    Early education 
    Early numeracy and math instruction 
    Implications and applications of multiple intelligences theory 
    Role of culture in a child's development 
    Teacher education and professional development

Molly Fuller Collins, Ph.D. , Assistant Professor 
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    Early literacy and language acquisition 
    Emergent writing 
    Preschool curricula and instruction

Linda Gilkerson, Ph.D., Professor 
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    Brain development 
    Early intervention 
    Fussy babies 
    High-risk children in hospital settings 
    Infant mental health

Robert Halpern, Ph.D., Professor 
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    After-school programs 
    Child and family policy 
    Early childhood intervention in developing countries 
    High school apprenticeship programs 
    History of services 
    Literacy in non-school settings 
    Parenting support programs 
    Prevention of child abuse and neglect 
    Program evaluation 
    Research on social theory 
    Services for families living in poverty

Patricia Horsch, Clinical assistant professor 
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    PK–3 
    School reform and improvement 
    Teacher education and professional development

Jon Korfmacher, Ph.D., Associate Professor 
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    Child abuse and neglect 
    Education and licensing of infant mental health practitioners 
    Emotional development 
    Infant mental health 
    Treatment processes in early childhood interventions

Gillian Dowley McNamee, Ph.D. , Professor
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    Assessment of children's learning 
    Child care 
    Early literacy development 
    Educational programs for preschool and school-aged children 
    Family literacy 
    Language development 
    Learning disabled children 
    Parent-teacher relations 
    Role of the arts in early education 
    Scripted instruction 
    Teacher education and professional development

Luisiana Meléndez, Ph.D. , Clinical Assistant Professor 
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    Assessment in early childhood 
    Bilingual education 
    Teacher education and professional development

Samuel J. Meisels, Ed.D.
President and holder of the Irving and Neison Harris President’s Chair 
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    Assessment strategies in early childhood 
    Child care 
    Developmental assessment for young children 
    Developmental consequences of high-risk birth 
    Impact of both state and federal policies on the families of children with disabilities 
    Phonics vs. whole language approaches to reading 
    Recruitment and retention of teachers and principals 
    Standardized testing 
    State and federal education policies 
    Training of nontraditional candidates as teachers and principals

Aisha Ray, Ph.D., Associate Professor 
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    Bilingual education 
    Development of children in multigenerational caregiving families in urban communities 
    Parenting roles in unmarried, low-income couples 
    Role of fathers in African American families 
    Training early childhood professionals to work effectively in multicultural settings

Frances Stott, Ph.D.,  
Barbara T. Bowman Professor of Child Development 
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    Child care 
    Children and families at risk 
    Impact of violence on children 
    Life-span development 
    Parent-child relationships 
    Social-emotional development of young children

Sharon Syc, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor
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Brain development
Developmental psychology
Early intervention
Infant development
Special education
Teacher education