UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

A new study shows that adding text messaging to traditional in-clinic health counseling for parents about feeding habits, playtime, and exercise prevents very young children from developing obesity and potentially lifelong obesity-related problems. Findings from the study, co-led by Kori Flower, were published in JAMA. Samantha Schilling was also a co-investigator on the study. Both Flower and Schilling are Faculty Fellows at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. Learn more: https://ow.ly/9KlL50UwFnR #Obesity #ChildHealthcare

Kara Hume, a faculty fellow at UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, was named the recipient of the 2025 Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) Research Award — a recognition that honors outstanding contributions to research supporting individuals with autism, intellectual disability, and other developmental disabilities. #Disabilities #Autism #Research

To help spread the word on how researchers can empower local communities through collaboration, Allison De Marco and several Educare colleagues presented, “Seeing Communities as Experts on their Own Data: A Research-Practice Partnership” during Carolina Engagement Week, which brought together Carolina faculty, staff and students with community partners to highlight partnerships between UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina communities. De Marco is an advanced research scientist at FPG and adjunct faculty at the UNC School of Social Work. #CommunityEngagement #Collaboration #SocialWork

The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health has announced the recipients of the second Gillings Research Excellence Awards. Seven faculty members, including FPG Faculty Fellow Sean Sylvia, will receive $500 each to support their research, scholarship, and professional development. Learn more: https://ow.ly/rwc250V7z3i #PublicHealth #Research

Register today for the 25th International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, which will take place May 13-15, 2025! Honoring Our 25 Year History—Reflecting, Celebrating, and Advancing This year, we are celebrating 25 years of bringing together individuals with disabilities, families, practitioners, policymakers, and many other leaders in the field to learn and share ideas, experiences, and expertise on evidence-informed inclusive practices and policies that improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families. Register: https://go.unc.edu/Gm6k8 #FPGInclusionInstitute

FPG's Chih-Ing Lim and Megan Vinh have been named as the recipients of the 2025 Thelma Harms Early Childhood Education Award. The award—awarded to FPG employees or international practitioners working with an FPG employee on an early childhood project—is designed to further the understanding and improvement of early childhood program quality internationally. #ChildDevelopment #EarlyChildhood

On February 26, Catherine Bradshaw, PhD, MEd, will present "School-Based Prevention of Behavioral & Mental Health Problems: Integrating and Advancing the Evidence Base" as part of the FPG Distinguished Lecture Series. Bradshaw is a university professor and the senior associate dean for research and faculty development at the School of Education and Human Development and is a faculty fellow with the vice president of research at the University of Virginia. February 26 9:00 am ET Register today: https://go.unc.edu/t7AKq #BehavioralHealth #MentalHealth #ChildDevelopment

Carolina Engagement Week 2025 will bring together Carolina faculty, staff, and students with community partners to highlight partnerships between UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina communities via a series of more than 40 events, including skill-building workshops, research presentations, panel discussions and more. And three of these events will feature researchers from the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. #Research #UNC #NorthCarolina

Kara Hume, a faculty fellow at UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, was named the recipient of the 2025 Council for Exceptional Children’s Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) Research Award — a recognition that honors outstanding contributions to research supporting individuals with autism, intellectual disability, and other developmental disabilities. #Disabilities #Autism #Research

Register today for the 25th International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute, which will take place May 13-15, 2025! Honoring Our 25 Year History—Reflecting, Celebrating, and Advancing This year, we are celebrating 25 years of bringing together individuals with disabilities, families, practitioners, policymakers, and many other leaders in the field to learn and share ideas, experiences, and expertise on evidence-informed inclusive practices and policies that improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families. Register: https://go.unc.edu/Gm6k8 #FPGInclusionInstitute