We’re on a mission to learn how children thrive!
You are the expert when it comes to your family and community. By incorporating principles of developmental science, we aim to understand the complex interactions that occur as children grow. We are here to listen and learn from you. Together, we can make a lasting impact on family well-being and youth development.
Mission
We are committed to exploring what factors shape youth and family experiences relating to risk and resilience.
Vision
We remain steadfast in our pursuit of a future where youth facing adversity are equipped not just to survive, but to thrive.
Values
Through our dedication to empathy, collaboration, and equity we aspire to make a lasting impact for youth, families, and communities.
Check out the newest edition of our newsletter!
Fall 2024
Introducing our newly decorated MRI!
We’re thrilled to announce the completion of our Bio-Imaging Research Center (BIRC) renovation project at the University of Georgia! Over a year in the making, this initiative was designed to create a more welcoming, family-friendly environment for children and families participating in our studies. The updated space now features a new, state-of-the-art MRI machine, offering enhanced imaging capabilities for our research. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this vision a reality!
Help us generate SCIENCE!
We believe kids CAN do hard things! And, and we want to understand how. We use various research methods to explore youth development in the family and community contexts. We are always excited to show you what’s going on in our lab and how our research impacts communities!
BRANCH (R01 DA055630): We’re learning how rural families and their communities are promoting strength and resilience in their kids.
DORRY (K01DA045219): We want to understand how things that happen when you're young, like tough times or challenges, can affect whether teenagers in rural areas start using substances like drugs or alcohol.
ABCD (R01 DA058334): We are analyzing the impact of childhood adversity on adolescents' vulnerability to drug use, using the ABCD data set.
Training & Service, we can work on together
We are always building our community partnerships! Family and Community Engagement (FACE) builds connection by empowering communities through participation.
