Child Development Symposium

UC Merced hosts its third annual Symposium on the Child and Family on April 30, offering hours of talks by researchers on the theme of “The Developing Child in a Developing World.”

The symposium has grown throughout its three years, said co-organizer and Professor Jeff Gilger, and this year is no exception. Gilger said the topics that will be presented should be of particular interest to parents and educators throughout the region.

Many UC Merced faculty members will be speaking about their research, including:

• Professor Heather Bortfeld, on early neurological development;
• Gilger, on how genes contribute to atypical development and learning disabilities;
• lecturer Alex Khislavsky, on treatments for children with behavioral disorders;
• Professor Alexandra Main, on the development of children from immigrant families;
• and Professor Jan Wallander, on in-home interventions for children growing up in poverty.

The day will also include small-group discussions, research posters, a panel discussion and lab tours.

Space is limited for the symposium, which begins at 9 a.m. April 30 in the Student Services Building, Room 170. A $20 registration fee covers a coffee break and lunch, and attendees can register online or email jgilger@ucmerced.edu for information.

The symposium is organized by Gilger and fellow Professor Eric Walle in coordination with the campus’s Early Childhood Education Center and Director Danielle Waite. It is funded in part by the Carlston Cunningham Endowment and is affiliated with the new UC Merced Alliance for Child and Family Health and Development.