Fellowships at the Center for Developmental
Science
Overview
The primary goal of the training program is to provide advanced research training in human development for persons in the social and behavioral sciences, education, and health-related areas. The programs have a special focus on training in longitudinal methodology and analysis, on the social ecology of development, on the educational and health implications of behavioral study from infancy through adolescence and mid-life, and on the implications for research on health promotion and problem prevention. The training faculty crosses beyond departmental, school, and divisional lines and disciplines. Support is extended to highly selected candidates for advanced predoctoral and post-doctoral research training.
Over the past decade, research programs in human development in the component universities have grown closer by virtue of shared areas of research and theoretical concern. A common theoretical concern has been the elaboration of a systematic developmental model; a common methodological theme has been a commitment to the longitudinal study of human behavior. Collaboration seems vital because understanding key issues of human development requires expertise that cuts across traditional discipline boundaries. This shared concern with issues of theory, method, and analysis has promoted a climate of cooperation and the sharing of resources and students. The present cross-discipline and cross-school training programs are an outgrowth of years of cooperation.
Members of the mentor faculty are involved in joint teaching, supervision, and research collaboration. Collectively, they are responsible for the training activities. The mentor faculty have been selected from various departments located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, Meredith College, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In the divisions of health affairs at these institutions, mentor faculty appointments are from the departments of psychiatry, pediatrics, allied health professions, developmental epidemiology, maternal and child health, and nursing. In the divisions of academic affairs, the mentor faculty represent sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, and human development and family relations. In addition, members of the mentor faculty have key responsibilities in university research institutes and centers, including the Center for Chronic Illness Research (UNC-CH), the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (UNC-CH), the Carolina Population Center (UNC-CH), the National Center for Early Development and Learning (UNC-CH), and Center for Child and Family Policy (Duke University).
The areas represented by the mentor faculty encompass the study of multiple problems of development, including mental retardation, autism, behavioral-emotional-learning problems of childhood, and delinquent-aggressive behavior. But the study of behavioral anomalies requires an understanding of normal developmental processes. Different members have specialized in the major stages of normal human development, from prenatal behavior and infancy through childhood and adolescence to early maturity and senescence. Relevant to this concern, members of the Consortium training faculty have been at the forefront in the conduct of contemporary longitudinal studies of behavioral development, including some of the major ongoing investigations in the United States.
The Consortium’s Goals in Training
Given our strong commitment to an interdisciplinary approach to development, the training program of the Carolina Consortium is guided by four complementary aims:
(1). Training in Developmental Theory and Methods. The exploration and articulation of an interdisciplinary developmental framework and corresponding research methods are the cornerstone of the Carolina Consortium training program. This effort extends beyond bringing together researchers and information from a variety of disciplines and methodological perspectives. The goal is to understand the dynamic interaction of multiple levels of measurement as they collectively contribute to development. To meet this goal, Trainees participate in (1) weekly Monday Proseminar meetings that involve individual meetings with a noted speaker, a class meeting of Trainees with the speaker, and the evening Proseminar presentation by and discussion with the speaker attended by faculty and Trainees where the speaker is asked to speak for 20-30 minutes, address overarching questions for the semester that are informed by a developmental science frame, and then engage in an hour-long discussion with faculty and Trainees; (2) targeted workshops and special talks throughout the year; (3) specific sessions on readings in developmental science theory and methods led by the Training Directors for the Trainees; (4) annual International Institutes on Developmental Science that the CDS sponsors along with colleagues at Penn State University and several European universities; and (5) longitudinal research projects in one or more laboratories.
(2). Direct Experience in Longitudinal Research. As articulated in a joint statement by the Consortium faculty (Carolina Consortium on Human Development, 1996), longitudinal research is essential for the examination of dynamic processes of multiple factors that give rise to coherent patterns of adaptation in development. The faculty and Fellows have pioneered the use of alternative longitudinal designs (see, e.g., Farmer, Price, O’Neal, Leung, Goforth, Cairns, & Reese, 2004; Xie, Farmer, & Cairns, 2003), with recent innovations including the integration of longitudinal methods with preventive intervention and experimental/training research designs (e. g., Estell, Farmer, Irvin, Thompson, Hutchins, & McDonough, 2007; Farmer, Vernon-Feagans, & Hannum, in press; Hamm, Robertson, Farmer, & Dadisman, 2008; Huston, Duncan, McLoyd, et al., 2005; Ornstein & Haden, 2001). The goal of these analytic strategies is to clarify the dynamic integration of multiple factors in the lives of individuals and to move toward causal statements about associative links observed in longitudinal work. In addition, developmental methodologists on the Consortium faculty are centrally involved in the development of a range of new analytic techniques for handling longitudinal data and characterizing developmental change (see e.g., Bauer, 2003; Bollen, Kirby, Curran, Paxton, & Chen, in press; Bollen & Curran, 2006).
The members of the Consortium faculty are currently involved with more than 45 separate longitudinal projects, each of which provides potential training opportunities for our Fellows. The longitudinal research conducted by the Consortium faculty (1) ranges from short-term (e.g., one year) to long-term (e.g., 20 years), (2) covers developmental periods from prenatal to late-adulthood, (3) examines critical developmental issues (e.g., aggression, behavior problems, mental health problems, substance use, preterm infant development, day care and early development, memory skill development), (4) involves various levels of developmental analyses and integration across levels (e.g., physiological, biological, temperamental, behavioral, social, economical, and cultural), and (5) includes cutting edge work in longitudinal methodology. Collectively, these longitudinal studies provide diverse and unique training opportunities for the pre and postdoctoral Fellows.
In the past 20 years, many predoctoral and postdoctoral Fellows have been involved in the various stages of longitudinal research (e.g., conception, implementation, data management, analyses, and dissemination of scientific findings). Many Trainees enter the program with experience with all stages of longitudinal work, whereas others can benefit from experience with the conceptualization and implementation of longitudinal work, as well as data management, analysis, and the dissemination of findings. Each Fellow meets with his or her Advisory Committee to conduct a “needs assessment” that focuses on acquiring relevant new experiences, with an emphasis on novelty. That is, there is no need to repeat experiences that Fellows have had already, but priority is placed on providing relevant new experiences that expand the capacity of the Fellow to do longitudinal work. Without exception, every Trainee in our program works with longitudinal data, usually through their Mentors, but also potentially through their involvement in one of the working groups at the CDS.
(3). The Application of Developmental Science to Real-World Issues. Opportunities relevant to the application of developmental science to real-world issues are provided to Trainees. All Fellows consider the societal responsibilities and ethical obligations of conducting science through workshops on research ethics and a discussion of ethical issues associated with each semester’s Consortium series. By considering the broader context of the application of developmental science research (e.g., health promotion, parenting, education, prevention, treatment), the relevance of developmental science to everyday concerns becomes readily apparent, and the ethical responsibilities of the researcher come to the forefront. Therefore, rather than viewing applied research as a distinct enterprise, Consortium Fellows come to see the application of developmental theory to “real world” issues as an important component of the scientific process.
All Trainees are given the opportunity to consider these issues in the framework of the Proseminar and workshop presentations. Predoctoral and postdoctoral Fellows are also offered the opportunity to work in laboratories in which the application of developmental science to social problems is a major focus and thus to obtain skills in this area. Other Trainees focus their efforts on basic science, but through the Proseminar series, workshops, and institutes, every Fellow is nevertheless exposed to foundational issues concerning prevention, intervention, public policy, and the ethics of scientific research.
(4). Collaborative Training Opportunities. Collaboration that bridges disciplines, departments, and institutions is a hallmark of the Carolina Consortium training program. The breadth and diversity of the faculty and the range of resources and activities that are available across the six constituent institutions provide unique opportunities for Fellows to engage in interdisciplinary discourse and integrative research. Beyond the weekly Proseminar series, Fellows are given the opportunity to work closely with two or more Mentors who have complementary interests and research programs.
Two-year Postdoctoral Training Program
The postdoctoral training provides opportunities to Trainees for advanced coursework, exposure to cutting-edge developmental science research through Proseminar presentations, small seminars, workshops, and supervised research training in at least two settings over a two-year period. Because of the diversity of persons who enter the program, the nature of the coursework and the level of research involvement are tailored to each individual Fellow by his or her Advisory Committee. The training sequence ordinarily extends over two years, but in unusual circumstances a shorter training program may be planned. No additional advanced degrees are offered by the Consortium, although it is possible for Fellows to become enrolled in the degree-granting programs of constituent departments and schools. Such decisions are made by the Fellow in consultation with his or her Advisory Committee of the training faculty.
The components of the two-year Consortium postdoctoral program are described in terms of five key features of our training: (1) Consortium Postdoctoral Advisory Committee, (2) Consortium Proseminar, (3) Research Seminars, Special Workshops, and Colloquia, (4) Supervised/Collaborative Research, and (5) Consortium and Individual Courses. Each of these components is described below.
Consortium Postdoctoral Advisory Committee: All Fellows establish Advisory Committees upon entry into the program. The purpose of these committees is to provide guidance and approval for the Fellows' research plans and course of study, as well as evaluation of their success in meeting these goals (discussed further below, under Training Evaluation). The Advisory Committee consists of the Trainee’s primary and secondary Mentors, one of the Training Directors, and two other relevant faculty members, at least one of whom is from a disparate but complementary discipline. This Committee helps design, in consultation with the Fellow, the course of study and research supervision. It meets with the Fellow at least two times per year to determine progress and to evaluate the appropriateness of the original plan. If adjustments are called for, either in the program of study or in the composition of the Advisory Committee, these may be made with the approval of the Training Directors. Each Advisory Committee will also evaluate the progress of the postdoctoral Fellow and recommend to the Training Directors and Co-Directors whether the stipend should be renewed. In turn, this recommendation is submitted to the Executive Committee for review and approval. In addition, the Mentors of the Fellow's Advisory Committee work to ensure that there is adequate support for the Trainee’s research and act as informal external reviewers for Trainee publications. The Advisory Committee is available throughout the Fellow's tenure for consultation and assistance. This formal aspect of the training program also has proven to be effective in ensuring that early in their experience the postdoctoral Fellows become closely acquainted with research programs and ideas of persons represented in the Consortium.
Consortium Proseminar: The CCHD established a Proseminar series that is designed to provide advanced interdisciplinary training in human development, and its meetings constitute a foundation for all activities of the Carolina Consortium. Over the years, this weekly series has involved virtually every member of the Mentor faculty of the Consortium in a teaching role. The Proseminar series includes a weekly, Monday class and then a presentation. Faculty serve as “Facilitators” to the class, which includes the speaker and the Fellows. The class is then followed by the presentation, which has open attendance. The attendance at the presentation (5:00 to 6:30 PM) varies between 45 and 70 persons. Typically, the distribution of regular participants is approximately one third faculty members, one third Fellows, and one third affiliated PhD-level researchers and doctoral students. The participants tend to represent the diverse disciplines of the Consortium, including education, epidemiology, medicine, neurobiology, nursing, public health, psychiatry, psychology, sociology, and social work. In keeping with the distinctive focus of the training program, these meetings tend to emphasize the primary themes of longitudinal study, life-course development, interdisciplinary integration of health and behavioral research, and applications of research to real-life issues.
The goal of the Proseminar has been to undertake a critical analysis of the central issues of developmental science, and the series has been the intellectual center of the Consortium. Each semester a committee of Mentor faculty representing diverse disciplines along with relevant Fellows designs a semester around a specific theme or question. Speakers from diverse disciplines whose work is relevant to these issues are invited to speak. Speaker selection maintains a balance between members of our faculty and outside visitors. Each speaker receives a letter of invitation that outlines a set of questions to be addressed in his or her talk. The questions are constructed by the committee and ask the speakers to consider the implications of their work. The Proseminar topics and discussants in recent years are listed in the Progress Report, along with examples of the questions that are sent in advance to each speaker.
The Consortium Fellows are actively involved in the selection of themes and speakers. They meet with each speaker in an afternoon class and then assume responsibility for leading each Proseminar evening session. Moreover, in the final meeting of each series, the postdoctoral Fellows take the lead in a special wrap-up session in which they integrate and synthesize the material that has been covered across the semester as it relates to the guiding questions that had been sent to each speaker. Typically, this is a very productive meeting that leads to the articulation of new concepts and themes and, in many cases, provides a stimulus for future collaborative activities among Fellows and faculty members. At the end of each semester, the series is evaluated (see Section d below) and proposals are considered for expanding or changing the Proseminar format. Whereas many changes have been made across the 20 years of the CCHD Training Program, evaluations demonstrate that participants continue to view the series as very effective in providing opportunities for intellectual exchange in a congenial atmosphere. Visiting scientists have been equally enthusiastic and supportive.
Research Seminars, Special Workshops, and Colloquia: The Consortium Fellows also meet each week to discuss issues that are central to their own research projects and to provide and receive constructive criticism of manuscripts that they are submitting for publication. These meetings are organized for and by the Fellows so that they can share research evaluations, ideas, and solutions. In addition, special workshops and colloquia are held periodically to address common areas of interest, to provide more intensive training or exposure to new techniques or concepts, and to become more familiar with the work of visiting scholars and scientists. Activities have included journal clubs, sets of special workshops and tutorials on developmental statistics, an overview of the use of archival resources at the Murray Center at Harvard University, a series of presentations on research projects that merge biological and social frameworks and measures, a workshop on the history of developmental science, and a series of workshops on securing grant support for research.
Another example of the many opportunities for discussion is the series of Research Forums that have been organized around the data gathering efforts of the Child Development Research Collaborative (CDRC). The collaborative teams that have formed within and across the working groups provide the primary impetus for data analysis and interpretation for this project. However, to expand this effort and capitalize on the wealth of possibilities inherent in the ongoing research, Steven Reznick and Susan Calkins organized a monthly Research Forum series. At these Forums, groups of scientists who are engaged in analysis or interpretation of data from the collaborative research projects present their work while it is “in progress” to a broad collection of stakeholders, including Fellow scientists, data analysis specialists, and members of the research staff who are involved in the collection of the data. These monthly Research Forums have been particularly beneficial to junior faculty members and Fellows, fostering collaborations with senior faculty members and colleagues in other departments and centers.
Supervised/Collaborative Research: Another key to our success in training predoctoral and postdoctoral Fellows has been the high level of research productivity of the Mentor faculty. These research programs, outlined in preceding sections of this application, provide opportunities for collaboration among Fellows and faculty members. We have found that postdoctoral Fellows fit very rapidly into ongoing projects, a process that is facilitated in part by an application procedure in which potential appointees outline specific plans in conjunction with one or more faculty members. Preparation of their proposals ensures that the applicants are aware of the options available to them and that they have experience in detailed preliminary planning with potential Mentors. If necessary, these plans may be modified.
One major advantage of having the research laboratories of the Consortium Mentor faculty within a limited geographic locality is that it permits freedom of movement. Fellows may take part in quite different research programs and settings within reasonable driving distances. Their participation in these research programs can be concurrent or sequential. The members of the training faculty believe that persons in advanced training will gain fresh ideas and approaches from one another, both in the context of the laboratory and in informal discussions about their work. In fact, some movement between laboratories is required, along with participation in the Proseminars and research workshops. To illustrate, consider the activities of one of our current postdoctoral Fellows, Dawn Witherspoon, who is working with Nancy Hill (Psychology) and Linda Burton (Sociology) at Duke University, and with Susan Ennett (Public Health) at UNC-Chapel Hill on a series of research projects concerning relations between neighborhoods and the development of African American youth. The various studies in which she is now involved build on her work as a graduate student and extend it in important ways, including the use of longitudinal data (with the PASS project with Nancy Hill), ethnographic data (with the Three City Study or Ethnography of Rural Communities, Families and Children with Linda Burton) and an examination of rural and urban data from a public health perspective (in the Context and Linkages Study with Susan Ennett). These individual projects with members of our Consortium faculty complement and build on one another to allow for a training experience that is unique and holistic in its study of urban and rural neighborhood experiences.
Consortium and Individual Courses: In addition to the Proseminar, other advanced seminars are available to postdoctoral Fellows, depending on their needs and interests. The training faculty members are aware that an overload of courses may preclude research involvement and thereby defeat the central goal of the program -- namely, to produce highly qualified researchers in diverse areas of human development. In this regard, it is anticipated that recent PhDs from behavioral, educational, and sociological programs will have covered much of the material required as a prerequisite. However, it is also acknowledged that the training provided by this program on the context of development and longitudinal study is distinctive in its emphasis and scope. Accordingly, postdoctoral Fellows who do not have sufficient previous training will be directed by their Advisory Committees to courses or seminars that will provide coverage of critical material. These will be taken early in the training program.
Because of the great diversity in the Fellows’ backgrounds, the respective Advisory Committees must consider each individual's distinctive research goals and needs. With our history of training postdoctoral candidates from a number of disciplines, we have some understanding as to what activities are most profitable and when they should be put in place. An outline of the approximate distribution of time over the four semesters and two summers of the Fellowship period that we have found to be productive follows:
Predoctoral Training Program
The Carolina Consortium on Human Development is not a degree-granting unit. Predoctoral Trainees are recruited and selected from participating doctoral programs at the constituent universities. Cooperative arrangements have been established with each of the affiliated academic units to ensure that the CCHD program guidelines are compatible with the policies and practices of each of these institutions and departments.
Our Predoctoral Fellowship Program is unique in that it typically provides formal support (i.e., NICHD sponsored Fellowships) for one year in the final years of doctoral training. We find that this is an optimal point for involvement in the program because after several years of study the graduate students are well prepared for the undertaking, and they have time for the intense participation of our demanding program. However, participation in CCHD training activities (i.e., Consortium Proseminars, developmental seminars, CCHD sponsored workshops, and involvement in research activities conducted by the Mentor faculty) is available to promising candidates throughout their graduate studies (including the initial years). Typically, this leads to a mutual selection process such that by the time a possible candidate reaches the final stages of his or her predoctoral training (i.e., completing the qualifying exams, developing a dissertation proposal), it is apparent to the faculty which individuals best fit the program. The selection of candidates is based, therefore, not only on their academic record, but also on their interest in developmental science and opportunities for interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration.
There are four key features to the Consortium Predoctoral Training Program: (1) Consortium Predoctoral Advisory Committee, (2) Consortium Proseminars, (3) Supervised/Collaborative Research, and (4) Consortium and Individual Courses. Each of these components is outlined below. Whereas many of the features of the training program are essentially the same for predoctoral and postdoctoral Fellows, there are differences that reflect the unique needs of the two groups.
Consortium Predoctoral Advisory Committee: Each predoctoral Fellow establishes an Advisory Committee upon entry into the program. The functions of this committee are to provide support, direction, and evaluation during the planning and completion of the dissertation project and to give additional guidance on career development issues. The Advisory Committee must consist of at least three members of the Mentor faculty as well as one of the Training Directors. Usually, there is considerable overlap between this committee and the doctoral dissertation committee formed in the Fellow's home school or department. In keeping with the collaborative spirit of the Consortium, no requirement of the training program or the Fellow’s Advisory Committee can be inconsistent with the standing regulations and practices of the cooperating schools and departments. Therefore, the Fellow’s home department and the dissertation committee determine all degree requirements.
Consortium Proseminar: The Consortium Proseminar series has been described above. Predoctoral Fellows are required to participate in all semesters that they are enrolled in the program. Indeed, many students take part in the Proseminar prior to their tenure as NICHD appointees. The high level of voluntary participation by students is indicative of the popularity of the Proseminars. Debates and heated discussions among faculty, Fellows, and visiting speakers are not infrequent and naturally help to maintain the high levels of engagement among our young scholars. To provide a forum for extensive Fellow-centered discussion, the predoctoral Fellows meet with the postdoctoral Fellows in a companion class with each week’s speaker prior to his or her presentation at the Consortium Proseminar. As described above in the discussion of postdoctoral training, this afternoon class provides a context for Fellows to explore theoretical and methodological questions within the context of the work of each week’s speakers. Each semester begins with two sessions devoted to reading and discussion of basic tenets of developmental science. From our evaluations over the years, we have found that this class has been highly successful for both Fellows and speakers alike.
Supervised/Collaborative Research: The Consortium strongly encourages predoctoral Fellows to have significant research experience in two laboratories (following the postdoctoral training model), and the predoctoral Fellows are encouraged to become involved in the collaborative interdisciplinary research at the Center. However, rigid adherence to the requirement for breadth can impede the Trainee's progress toward completion of the dissertation. The Advisory Committee assists each Fellow in the development of a research training program that is consistent with his or her knowledge base and prior experiences. In line with the aims of the program and the expertise of the training faculty, it is expected that the dissertation will reflect the experiences and/or issues raised in the specialized advanced training in human development. The Advisory Committees monitor and evaluate the students’ research progress. Such efforts require the careful balancing of the spirit of free intellectual inquiry, the rigors of ensuring the timely completion of departmental requirements, and the additional demands of preparing students to be placed successfully in postdoctoral and/or faculty positions.
Consortium and Individual Courses: In addition to the Proseminar and developmental seminar meetings, Fellows may elect to participate in advanced seminars that are taught by Consortium faculty members. Again, the Mentor faculty is sensitive to the fact that an overload of coursework can impede rather than facilitate scientific training. The decisions on course enrollment are made jointly by each Fellow, the Trainee's faculty Mentor, and the Advisory Committee.
Links to CCHD and Affiliated Fellows
