The research and evaluation team of faculty and staff members conducts collaborative and applied research to inform early childhood education practices supporting continuous quality improvement for ECE programs and professionals.
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Experience:
Brings more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education. Dr. Hallam has significant research and practice background in working with low-income, culturally diverse children, families, and staff. Her research focuses on strategies for improving the quality of both center-based and family child care environments with an emphasis on the design and implementation of state systems and policies.
DIEEC History:
Joined DIEEC in 2010 and has held various roles including Principal Investigator for Delaware Stars.
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Education:
Experience:
Brings more than 20 years of experience in education and early childhood development. His research focuses on early childhood policies and practice, such as state-funded pre-K programs and their impact on child outcomes, Head Start/Early Head Start, and child care subsidies. Before joining UD, Dr. Hustedt was an assistant research professor for the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), Rutgers University.
DIEEC History:
Joined DIEEC in 2010.
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DIEEC History:
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Experience:
Brings more than 30 years of experience in the field serving in various roles. She got her start as a teacher’s aide working with there-year olds. Before coming to DIEEC, Chris was a Delaware Stars program coordinator for Children’s and Families First. During her tenure at DIEEC, Chris was a technical assistant supervisor and held other roles supporting both professional development and helping program’s with quality improvements.
DIEEC History:
Joined DIEEC in 2013.
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Experience:
Imani started the doctoral program in the Fall of 2020. She is conducting research on goal-setting with high-risk families using the Family Map Inventories. Her research interests include interventions for young, at-risk children and their families.
DIEEC History:
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Deborah began the doctoral program in Fall of 2019. She is working on Family Map and family child care projects, and her research interests are early childhood systems and policy with a focus on trauma, attachment, and parent engagement and family involvement.
DIEEC History:
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Her area of interests include early care and education access and child-initiated learning in nature-based preschools. Background includes early childhood development and inclusive education.
DIEEC History:
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Ekatarina began the doctoral program in Fall of 2021. Her interest areas are in studying immigrant families, families raising bilingual children as well as language development in outdoor settings.
DIEEC History:
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Experience:
Rosa began the doctoral program in the Fall of 2022. Her research interests are centered around social-emotional learning (SEL) and the social, cultural, and economic factors that impact children from early childhood through the early elementary years.
DIEEC History:
